ISLAMABAD: The government is exploring procurement and import of wheat from Central Asian countries at a government-to-government level to ensure there is no shortage of the commodity in the country, the Ministry of National Food Security & Research (MNFSR) said on Thursday.

The provincial governments, Pakistan Agriculture Storage & Services Corporation (Passco) and the Trading Corporation of Pakistan may also instantaneously invite tenders and bids from the private sector for import of wheat in the country, a press release issued by the ministry said.

The MNFSR is also planning to chalk out an action plan with the help of Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) to tackle collusive market practices of wheat cartels. In the regard, Secretary MNFSR Omer Hamid Khan held a meeting with CCP Chairperson Rahat Kunain Hassan on Thursday and discussed the action plan. The private sector has placed orders to import 270,000 metric tonnes of wheat which is expected to arrive in the country during next two months.

In 2019, CCP had imposed a penalty of Rs75 million on the Pakistan Flour Mills Association for taking decisions with respect to fixing the price of wheat flour and the quantities of production by its members.

The government has already offered all possible assistance to private sector to import wheat and abolished duties and taxes.

The MNFSR has expressed concern that the Sindh government has not yet announced its Wheat Release Policy despite the decision taken at the level of Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet. Earlier in July, the Punjab government had announced an ‘interim’ policy in this regard.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2020