Copyright brecorder
ISLAMABAD: Agricultural experts have suggested policy measures to ensure availability of wheat stocks across the country, reducing reliance on imported wheat. Khan Faraz, an agriculture expert, told Business Recorder that the Federal Government has approved the procurement rate Rs3500 per 40kg wheat price for 2025-26 crops. This was decided in a high level meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Islamabad on October 19, 2025. The new policy is aligned with the international wheat import prices. Under the policy, the farmers will get a fair price and the government will procure strategic reserves to ensure stable stocks and protect farmers. Under the new policy there would be no restrictions on the inter-provincial movement of wheat, ensuring its availability nationwide. In recent years, Pakistan’s reliance on wheat imports has strained its fragile foreign exchange reserves. Moreover, Pakistan is vulnerable to the impact of climate change. Erratic rainfall, rising temperatures and water scarcity are constant threats to the agriculture sector. These challenges can be turned into opportunities but that requires an informed and consistent approach on national scale, along with new ideas. A country that once prided itself on being self-sufficient in wheat now faces the burden of importing this staple grain, Khan Faraz added. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
