ISLAMABAD, Sep 10 (APP): Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain on Wednesday chaired a meeting to deliberate on the contours of the National Wheat Policy and Wheat Management Strategy for 2025/26 and the coming years.
The new roadmap will serve as a long-term plan to ensure food security, safeguard farmers’ livelihoods, protect consumers, and build resilience against market disruptions and climate-induced emergencies.
Speaking on the occasion, Rana Tanveer Hussain said that wheat is not just a staple crop but a lifeline for millions of Pakistanis.
He emphasized that fairness and sustainability will be the guiding principles of the new wheat policy. Farmers, he stated, must receive prices aligned with international market trends to encourage greater production, while middle-class and above-poverty-line consumers will pay market-based rates.
For low-income groups, the government will provide relief through subsidies and other supportive measures, carefully balancing fiscal responsibilities between the federation and the provinces.
The minister further noted that strategic reserves will be managed prudently and stored in modern grain silos rather than traditional facilities to protect wheat from climatic risks and quality loss.
He stressed that the federal government’s role would focus on managing national reserves, supporting poor households through subsidies, ensuring wheat quality assurance, and improving efficiencies in the supply chain.
He added that research and development for climate-resilient and high-yield wheat varieties, farmer welfare initiatives, and modern storage systems would be central to the policy.
Rana Tanveer also highlighted the public health dimension of wheat management. With more than 30 percent of women and children suffering from zinc, iron, and vitamin deficiencies, he said, Pakistan must adopt long-term solutions to tackle malnutrition and stunting. Instead of relying solely on supplements, the policy will encourage multi-grain flour, promote wheat fortification, and incentivize proper storage practices to preserve nutritional value.
These interventions, he observed, will directly improve the health of mothers and children while strengthening national productivity.
The kinister reaffirmed that the new wheat policy will be finalized and adopted after comprehensive consultations with all stakeholders, including federal and provincial governments, farmer bodies, and the food industry, to ensure collective ownership and effective implementation.
He stressed that Pakistan will not allow a crisis of roti to emerge in the market. The government, he added, is committed to securing fair returns for farmers, price stability for consumers, and resilience against natural disasters and global market fluctuations.
He said that Pakistan must adopt forward-looking models in line with international best practices to secure its food future in the face of climate change and other risks.