Country facing 2.37m tonnes wheat shortage: Cheema

ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema on Thursday said that Pakistan was enduring a net wheat deficit of 2.37 million metric tons (MMT) during the current year.

In a written reply to the question of Senator Zeeshan Khanzada during question hour in the upper house of parliament, he said the deficit has been estimated after the re-verification of carry-forward stocks and total existing stock position.

He said the total wheat available in the country this year was 28.42 MMT, the wheat production was 26.389 mmt while carry forward stock was 2.031 MMT. Similarly, the national requirements were 30.79 MMT and thus net shortfall was 2.37 MMT.

Quoting Pakistan Agricultural Storage & Services Corporation Limited (PASSCO) and the provincial food department, he said the government was expecting 3 MMT. He said the government was committed to announcing the profitable support price before the next wheat sowing season.