The federal government has moved to import 750,000 metric tonnes of wheat to strengthen domestic supplies and meet provincial requirements, with the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) issuing an international tender for the procurement.
The TCP has invited sealed bids from international suppliers for the supply of 750,000 metric tonnes, with suppliers allowed a quantity variation of plus or minus 10 percent. The wheat will be procured on a Cost and Freight basis for delivery to Karachi and/or Gwadar ports.
Under the tender conditions, the wheat must be from the latest crop year and can be supplied directly by international suppliers or through their local offices or representatives registered with the relevant federal or provincial tax authorities. Suppliers must have the capacity to provide wheat in bulk from sources anywhere in the world.
The contracted wheat will have to be delivered according to the shipment schedule specified in the tender documents and must meet the prescribed quality standards and specifications. The supplies will also have to comply with the Import Policy Order in force.
The TCP said bids for quantities below 50,000 metric tonnes, with the permitted plus or minus 10 percent variation, would not be accepted. The condition is intended to ensure that participating suppliers have the capacity to deliver substantial quantities within the required timeframe.
According to government sources, the imported wheat will be distributed among the provinces based on their requirements. Sindh is expected to receive 300,000 metric tonnes, Punjab 250,000 tonnes and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 200,000 tonnes.
The decision to procure 750,000 metric tonnes was approved by a committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, according to the sources. The procurement follows an earlier decision by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to approve the import of 1 million metric tonnes after the provinces sought additional supplies.
The proposed imports come against a national wheat requirement estimated at about 31.3 million tonnes for the 2026-27 market year, compared with a production forecast of around 29.6 million tonnes. The Economic Survey 2025-26 also estimated wheat production at about 29.61 million tonnes, up from 28.40 million tonnes a year earlier.
The availability of existing stocks is another factor in the government’s supply management efforts. PASSCO, which maintains strategic wheat reserves and supplies deficit provinces when required, held about 1.783 million tonnes of wheat as of the first week of July, sources added.
