Farmers' alliance urges govt to restore wheat support price at Rs4,702 to secure national food security
https://www.dawn.com/news/2025129
Pakistan confronts a looming wheat shortage of 3 million tonnes, potentially forcing the government to spend $1.2 billion on foreign currency imports unless swift policy changes are made before the upcoming Rabi season. Speaking at a press conference, PKI President Khalid Mahmood Khokhar cautioned policymakers about the severity of the issue, which stems from ineffective policies over the past three years, resulting in an estimated Rs2.2 trillion loss for local farmers.
The crisis has been exacerbated by global events such as the Gulf conflict, Hormuz Strait disruptions, and the Russia-Ukraine war, leading to increased diesel prices, tube-well electricity tariffs, and shipping delays. To avert a significant foreign reserve drain and ensure national food security, PKI president Khalid Mahmood Khokhar emphasized the immediate restoration of the wheat support price mechanism to Rs4,702 per 40 kg.
He calculated that farmers currently bear a net cost of Rs3,761 to produce one maund of wheat, highlighting that the proposed Rs4,702 figure, which includes a 25pc profit margin, is crucial to encourage farmers to cultivate fallow land and achieve a 31-million-tonne yield. PKI stressed that the prime minister and the minister for National Food Security must announce the procurement policy and price restoration by the end of the month to provide growers sufficient time for planning.
Additionally, PKI called for nutrient-based fertiliser subsidies applicable to all phosphatic fertilisers, rather than restricting relief to just DAP, as this would prevent black-market speculation, unnecessary foreign exchange spending on DAP imports, and ensure the availability of local alternatives for the 2026-27 crop cycle.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
