The federal government does not intend to import wheat through the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) despite the rising domestic demand.
In a recent meeting at the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) in Karachi, the Federal Secretary for National Food Security & Research (NFS&R) Captain (Retd) Muhammad Mahmood disclosed that the federal government has no such plan. Instead, the private sector is actively importing wheat to meet the rising domestic demand, reported Business Recorder.
During the session, the participants delved into detailed discussions on several issues related to the import of food and other commodities. Responding to a query raised by Muzzammil Chappal, Chairman of the Cereal Association of Pakistan (CAP), Secretary NFS&R assured that Regulatory Duty (RD) would not be imposed on the private sector’s import of wheat.
He emphasized that the government currently has no plans to provide subsidies or engage the state-run grain trader TCP in wheat import activities. Instead, he urged the private sector to continue importing wheat without government assistance to fulfill domestic consumption requirements.
Chappal confirmed that TCP is given the task of wheat import, and the private sector estimates importing approximately 3 million tons of wheat to address the country’s existing shortage of the commodity. He noted that around 0.7 million tons of imported wheat have already arrived in Pakistan, and a similar quantity is in the pipeline, expected to reach the country by the end of December.
Chappal said that the government should inform the private sector at least one or two months in advance before making any decisions regarding wheat import, allowing importers to manage their deals and avoid financial losses.
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