Pakistan’s wheat crisis is spiraling into a full-blown emergency, farmer leaders warned Wednesday, blaming a cascade of policy missteps and poor planning that could push prices to Rs. 6,000 per maund and put staple foods beyond the reach of ordinary consumers.

In a joint statement, Markazi Kisan League (MKL) Chairman Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali Olakh and President Muhammad Ashfaq Warraich said the government had ignored repeated warnings of an impending shortage, allowing the situation to deteriorate unchecked.

The farmer leaders pointed to the abolition of the wheat support price mechanism, a casualty of International Monetary Fund-linked reforms, and the failure of provincial governments to meet procurement targets during the current harvest season. Punjab, the country’s breadbasket, procured just 480,000 tonnes against a target of 3 million tonnes, while Sindh managed roughly 200,000 tonnes.

Pakistan imported nearly 3.5 million tonnes of wheat at a cost exceeding $1 billion last year, yet still faces an estimated shortfall of 3.5 million tonnes, according to the MKL. The group cautioned that further imports may now be unavoidable, threatening to drain already strained foreign exchange reserves.

Wheat prices have already climbed sharply over the past month, and the farmer leaders warned that without immediate corrective action, they could surge to Rs. 6,000 per maund, a level that would make flour and bread increasingly unaffordable for millions.

The warnings come as federal and provincial governments scramble to contain the fallout. Punjab has requested one million tonnes of wheat from federal reserves, while Sindh has sought at least 220,000 tonnes. Officials are also weighing the option of additional imports, with a final decision expected once provinces submit updated demand estimates.