Pakistan faces grim prospect of wheat flour crisis?

ISLAMABAD: Following the ongoing sugar crisis, Pakistan may now face a potential wheat flour crisis, as national wheat stocks stand at 33.47 million tons, slightly below the country’s annual consumption requirement of 33.58 million tons.

According to official figures, Punjab holds the largest share of the total stock with 22.94 million tons, followed by Sindh with 4.93 million tons, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 1.74 million tons, Balochistan 1.46 million tons, and Pakistan Agricultural Storage & Services Corporation Ltd (PASSCO) maintaining 2.45 million tons in reserves for the 2025-26 food year.

The country produced 28.39 million tons of wheat from 9.1 million hectares, while 5.08 million tons were carried forward from the previous year. Despite the marginal shortfall of 0.11 million tons, the wheat supply gap has triggered a sharp increase in flour prices.

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In the retail market, the price of a 15 kg wheat flour bag has surged from Rs 1,060–1,100 in early August to Rs 1,340–1,450, raising concerns among consumers and retailers alike.

Chairing the 8th Wheat Board Meeting, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain reviewed the wheat supply situation and preparations for the upcoming Rabi season 2025–26. He reassured the public that the wheat shortfall is minimal and does not pose an immediate threat to national food security.

He said that the national availability of wheat stands at 33.47 million tons against a requirement of 33.58 million tons, leaving a marginal shortfall of only 0.11 million tons. This gap is insignificant and assured that there is no alarming situation regarding wheat stocks in the country, he said.

“There is no alarming situation,” the minister said. “The existing reserves are sufficient, and Pakistan will not be importing wheat this year. Our priority is to support local farmers, not middlemen or markets.”

He emphasized that all critical inputs for the Rabi season — including urea and other fertilizers — are adequately available, despite international price hikes. The government, he added, is closely monitoring domestic fertilizer prices to keep production costs within reach for farmers.

However, the minister acknowledged challenges in agricultural policy implementation due to the devolution of powers to provinces under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, calling for stronger coordination between federal and provincial governments.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025