SINGAPORE, June 8: Pakistan will not import more wheat this year following a bumper domestic harvest that has helped lift domestic stocks to comfortable levels, a senior Pakistani government official said. “We do not anticipate wheat imports this year,” Nasir Khosa, joint secretary, ministry of food, agriculture and livestock, told Reuters on the sidelines of a buyers’ conference in Ho Chi Minh City late on Tuesday.

He said the country’s wheat output in 2005 was expected to rise by more than 11pc to around 21.4m tons from 19.2m tons last year, thanks to favourable weather.

“We will also be giving the private sector more role in domestic marketing of wheat. The government wants to reduce its share in the entire business,” Mr Khosa added.—Reuters