The paradox of Sindh's wheat policy

Sindh, a province in Pakistan, is grappling with a paradox in its wheat policy. Following a cabinet decision on August 5, the province plans to import five million tons of wheat through the Trading Corporation of Pakistan to address a food security gap. Sindh's actual wheat consumption is estimated at 6.53 million tons, while its availability stands at 4.91 million tons for the fiscal year 2026, resulting in a shortfall of 1.59 million tons.

Despite exceeding the production target of 4.22 million tons by 688,194 tons and cultivating wheat on 1.57 million hectares, the province still needs to meet its requirements.

The increase in acreage and production is attributed to the government's wheat support program, which provided cash subsidies to 0.3 million growers from November 2025, encouraging them to produce more grain. However, only 0.33 million farmers were enrolled in the program. While wheat production has been impressive, the food department has fallen short in procurement, acquiring only 81,000 tons against a target of 1 million tons, indicating planning gaps and possible departmental disarray.

The discrepancy between the increased area and production and the procurement shortfall raises questions about the effectiveness of Sindh's wheat management policy. The province will import the remaining 5 million tons of wheat despite an impressive increase in area and production. One of Pakistan's leading economists, Dr. Kaiser Bengali, emphasized the importance of accurate estimates in wheat management, asserting that without correct estimates, the food department's performance remains chaotic, leading to a never-ending mess.

He also argued that procurement and import issues should be left to the private sector, as the government must balance farmers' economic interests and consumers' rights.