The government is facing criticism for failing to purchase enough wheat from local farmers while preparing to import around 1 million tons of wheat, prompting the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to question the country’s wheat policy.
The PAC raised the issue on Tuesday while examining audit objections concerning the Ministry of National Food Security for fiscal year 2024-25. Audit officials said provinces had not procured enough wheat from farmers, leaving growers with major losses, even as wheat imports were being made.
They said the country lacked a consistent wheat procurement policy and called for an inquiry into wheat imports, local procurement and the losses suffered by farmers.
The Secretary of the Ministry of National Food Security told the committee that wheat procurement was a provincial responsibility and the federal government could not intervene.
PPP Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, however, argued that the federal government controls wheat imports. He questioned why provinces were failing to buy wheat from local farmers while the country was turning to imports.
Mandviwalla warned that if farmers continued struggling to sell their produce, they could eventually reduce wheat cultivation, forcing Pakistan to spend more foreign exchange on imports.
PAC Chairman Moin Amir Pirzada said preparations were underway to import around 1 million tons of wheat. He also questioned the decision to allow sugar exports and directed the relevant authorities to stop them.
Former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar said farmers were not receiving adequate support prices. She questioned why foreign exchange could be arranged for imported wheat while sufficient support was not being provided to local farmers.
PTI lawmaker Rana Qasim Noon said the wheat policy had badly hurt farmers and alleged that sugar mills had also contributed to the decline in cotton cultivation.
Mandviwalla said Pakistan faces a new wheat and sugar “scheme” every year and called for a stable and long-term agricultural policy.
The PAC directed the Ministry of National Food Security to brief the committee on the government’s wheat and sugar policies at its next meeting on September 24.
