Pakistan raises wheat procurement prices amid rising grain costs

The Pakistani government has raised the indicative wheat procurement price for 2027 to 4,500 rupees (approximately $16.3) per 40 kg, up 1,000 rupees (approximately $3.6), or 28.6%, from last year’s level. The decision was announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif amid rising domestic grain prices.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar instructed federal and provincial authorities to take urgent measures to stabilize wheat prices. These include increasing grain supplies in the domestic market and strengthening controls against speculation and stockpiling aimed at artificially driving up prices.

According to the government, existing stocks of domestically produced and imported wheat are sufficient to meet the country’s needs until the next harvest. Authorities emphasized that ensuring food security and the affordability of essential food products remains a key priority of government policy.

Representatives of the PTI party’s farmers’ wing welcomed the decision to raise the procurement price but expressed concerns about its practical implementation. They noted that in previous seasons, farmers had often been forced to sell wheat to intermediaries at significantly lower prices due to the lack of an effective government procurement mechanism.

Farmers called on the government to introduce a transparent system for purchasing wheat directly from producers at the announced price, establish procurement centers in a timely manner, and ensure oversight of intermediaries. They stressed that such measures are particularly important amid rising costs of seeds, fertilizers, fuel, electricity, and irrigation.

Tags: prices, Pakistan, wheat