[REVISION HISTORY]

Pakistan wheat shortage and import negotiations

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-09 19:34 UTC → 2026-08-24 06:54 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In early July, Pakistan’s federal minister for food security declared wheat stocks sufficient, citing a 1.36-million-tonne rise in production. However, provincial officials and industry representatives warned of a potential 3.5-million-tonne deficit, particularly noting low reserves in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. By late July, procurement fell far short of targets in Punjab and Sindh. To address the supply gap for the 2026-27 marketing year, the federal government approved the immediate import of one million tonnes of wheat. The Economic Coordination Committee established a high-powered steering committee, led by the Deputy Prime Minister, to assess provincial requirements and manage the import and distribution mechanism. Amidst the wheat crisis, Pakistan also secured a 60,000-tonne rice export deal with China, expected to generate $300-$400 million. By early August, national average wheat prices reached a 29-month high of approximately PKR 4,611 per 40kg due to tightening supplies. While the federal government's $340 million import plan remains a primary proposal, it faces resistance from provincial governments, including Punjab, which have been reluctant to formally request additional imports, preferring to rely on existing stocks held by the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO). By late August, the scale of the production shortfall became clearer, with wheat output projected to drop to 28.42 million metric tons from 31.4 million metric tons the previous year. This decline is attributed to a severe dry spell and a contraction in cultivation area. The emergency import costs are now estimated between $350 million and $400 million. Additionally, analysts have raised concerns regarding systemic procurement issues, including allegations that approximately 4.5 million tons of wheat are unaccounted for in Punjab.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.