Govt restores inter-provincial wheat seed, flour flow amid Rabi sowing

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday restored the inter-provincial movement of wheat seed and flour after resolving delays that threatened the Rabi wheat sowing schedule.

The Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) reported the decision after a holding an urgent meeting with the provincial representatives and other stakeholders. Federal Secretary Amir Mohyuddin convened the meetings with provincial governments on October 29, followed by review sessions on November 5 and 12, after complaints emerged about disruptions in seed and flour movement from Punjab to other provinces. Reports showed bottlenecks at inter-provincial check posts due to verification issues and incomplete documentation. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, around 100 trucks carrying certified seed from Punjab were stranded at the Ramak check-post, while Balochistan received only 12,000–13,000 bags daily against a target of 50,000, risking delays in sowing. Sindh, meanwhile, had received just 19,800 metric tons against a requirement of 3.7 million tons.

The ministry directed Punjab and KPK to coordinate directly for instant clearance of verified consignments and asked Punjab to expedite seed dispatches to Balochistan and Sindh.