Rabi season: Wheat seed availability stands at 0.612MTs

The Rabi 2026-27 wheat seed availability for sowing purposes has been reported at 0.612 million tons, which accounts for 51 percent of the total requirement of 1.192 million tons. In Punjab, the availability is 0.553 million tons, meeting 67 percent of the province's demand. Sindh contributes with 0.041 million tons (23 percent), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 0.007 million tons (7 percent), and Balochistan provides 0.010 million tons (13 percent).

During the previous Rabi 2025-26 season, the total wheat seed availability was 0.574 million tons, covering 51 percent of the overall requirement. Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, instructed private seed companies to lower wheat seed prices to make it more affordable for farmers during a meeting with private seed company representatives and the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority (NSDRA).

Hussain emphasized the significance of timely access to affordable seed for small farmers, whose decisions are influenced by the cumulative costs of seed, fertiliser, irrigation, and other agricultural inputs. He directed NSDRA to ensure smooth inter-provincial seed movement and urged coordination with provincial authorities and suppliers to overcome movement-related challenges and ensure seed reaches farmers within the designated sowing period.

Clear information on seed varieties, certification, pack weight, and prices can assist farmers in making informed purchasing decisions, according to Hussain. He stressed that affordable prices should be paired with reliable quality and timely availability to support successful crop establishment.