BANGKOK, April 7: Pakistan has dropped plans to import more wheat after timely rains boosted prospects of a bumper domestic harvest this year, a senior government official said on Thursday. Pakistan harvested a crop of about 19.7 million tons last year, below a domestic annual requirement of about 20.8 million tons, forcing it to import wheat from Australia, the United States and Russia to fill the shortfall.

The international grain market has been closely watching crop development in Pakistan, which has already imported about 1.4 million tons of wheat since late last year.

Manzar Salim, general manager of the Trading Corporation of Pakistan, which imports the bulk of the wheat for Pakistan, said the harvest could reach 22 million tons, against an earlier estimate of about 21 million.

“We will not be importing more wheat. We have comfortable strategic reserves. Good rains have helped the crop to mature better,” Mr Salim told Reuters on the sidelines of a two-day Asia wheat conference. “The crop quality is also good.”

“All the contracts for imported wheat have already been executed. The last ship carrying imported wheat will be arriving in a day or two,” he added.

Last month, the Federal Committee of Agriculture had said it was expecting a crop of about 21.2 million tons. Pakistan received its heaviest rains in 16 years in February. Mr Salim added the harvest would be over by the end of May.

“Arrivals from the new crop have already started but it’s only from the Sindh crop. Wheat from the Punjab region will start in a while,” he said.

Mr Salim said the recent imports also helped boost the country’s wheat reserves. The government tries to maintain stocks of around 2.5 million tons to meet any unexpected surge in demand and to also ensure that domestic prices remain stable.

—Reuters