ISLAMABAD, Oct 19 (APP): The federal government approved wheat policy 2025-26 under which it will procure wheat from farmers at the price of Rs 3500 per maund.
The mainstay of the policy is to protect farmers, give them a fair price and undertake government procurement to ensure stable strategic wheat reserves.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting to approve the wheat policy 2025-26. Chief Ministers of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Gilgit Baltistan, the representative of the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and relevant stakeholders attended the meeting.
In his remarks, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan was an agricultural economy and wheat crop was of key importance.
“Wheat is not only the staple food of the people of Pakistan but also the biggest source of income for the country’s farmers,” he said adding, “The government is well aware of the difficulties faced by farmers. All possible efforts are being made for the welfare and betterment of farmers.” “Farmers are the backbone of Pakistan’s economy,” he remarked. The prime minister said while preparing the policy, the federal government conducted a detailed consultation process with all stakeholders including provincial governments, farmers’ organizations, industrialists and the farming community.
“Based on the consultation, the government is announcing the National Wheat Policy 2025-26. The policy aims to ensure farmers’ profits while protecting public interests,” he continued. He appreciated cooperation of the provincial governments in formulating a consensus-based policy. “God willing, this policy will promote agricultural development and will increase farmers’ income. The policy will play a significant role in ensuring food security for the people of Pakistan,” he mentioned.
The meeting was also briefed on the salient features of the policy. The federal and provincial governments will obtain strategic reserves of about 6.2 million tonnes from the 2025-26 wheat crop. The procurement will be done at Rs 3,500 per mound, as per the international import price of wheat.
The meeting was told that this move will ensure fair price and profit to farmers while maintaining market competitiveness. Under the policy, there will be no restrictions on inter-provincial movement of wheat to ensure its availability across Pakistan.
The Federal Minister for National Food Security will chair a national wheat monitoring committee, which will include representatives from all provinces. It was informed that the committee will monitor the implementation and coordination of policy measures. The committee will meet weekly and report directly to the Prime Minister.