Islamabad: The Ministry of National Food Security has apprised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that extra wheat was imported during the caretaker government’s period which caused a loss of more than 300 billion rupees to the national exchequer.
According to sources, the ministry said told the PM office that the caretaker government, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Finance, the private sector was given a complete exemption on import instead of a fixed limit and wheat traders were also exempted from the customs duty and general sales tax.
This has caused significant distress among farmers who fear financial losses and a potential decline in wheat production next year.
In Punjab, wheat prices have plunged below Rs 3,000 per maund (approximately 40 kilograms) due to the provincial government’s failure to begin its procurement campaign.
Despite a record harvest this year, the Punjab government’s “poor strategy” for wheat procurement has stalled the process, leaving farmers with limited options. The government set a support price of Rs 3,900 per maund, but with no official buying in sight, prices in the open market have dropped to Rs 2,900.
Farmer organizations warn that these low prices could severely impact future production. They argue that failing to offer fair compensation for their crops will discourage farmers from planting wheat next season.