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LAHORE: Pakistan faces a potential three-million-tonne wheat shortfall that could force the government to spend roughly $1.2 billion in foreign exchange on imports unless urgent policy interventions are implemented before the upcoming Rabi season.
Speaking at a press conference, Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) President Khalid Mahmood Khokhar issued this warning to the top federal and provincial policymakers.
He said that domestic wheat production has been severely undermined by ineffective policies over the past three years, resulting in a staggering Rs2,200bn loss for local farmers. The crisis has been compounded by recent global events, including the Gulf conflict that began on Feb 28, disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, and the Russia-Ukraine war, all of which have driven up diesel prices, tube-well electricity tariffs, and international shipping lead times.
To prevent a massive drain on foreign reserves and secure national food security, the PKI president urged the government to immediately restore the wheat support price mechanism to Rs4,702 per 40 kg.
