The provincial governments of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Balochistan have decided to engage private companies for the procurement of wheat to bolster their strategic reserves. This decision was shared with the National Wheat Oversight Committee, led by Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, during a meeting on Tuesday.
As per media reports, the meeting reviewed the progress of provincial implementation units for the interim national wheat policy. While the Sindh government has yet to disclose its wheat procurement strategy for strategic reserves, officials from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research expect that Sindh will procure wheat independently.
Historically, the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) was tasked with procuring wheat for the country’s strategic reserves. However, with the government’s decision to phase out Passco, a new wheat stock management company is expected to be established to handle its liabilities.
Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain highlighted that the primary goal of the national wheat policy is to stabilize wheat prices, safeguard farmers from market volatility, and ensure food security. He assured that once fully implemented, the policy would not place undue pressure on consumers while promoting transparency and encouraging private sector involvement.
The committee was also informed that all provinces and regions have successfully set up their provincial implementation units to execute the interim national wheat policy. These units will ensure that the policy is effectively carried out across the country.
In terms of wheat stock management, the provinces presented their available wheat stocks and detailed their disposal strategies. New strategic reserves will be established from the 2025-26 wheat production in the respective provinces.
