ISLAMABAD: Bulk carrier MV Tailwinds carrying 65,000 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat — the second import consignment of the country — was berthed at the Karachi Port on Friday evening and allowed to unload following mandatory quarantine on Saturday.

An inspection team of experts led by Department of Plant Protection Director-General Dr Falak Naz conducted detailed inspection of the wheat consignment that arrived in MV Tailwinds.

With the arrival of the second vessel, the total import of wheat from Ukraine has now reached 125,804 tonnes. A third vessel — MV Coventry — carrying 69,000 tonnes of wheat is scheduled to dock at Karachi Port on Sept 8, according to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) press release.

Secretary MNFSR Omer Hamid Khan has contacted chief secretaries of Sindh and Punjab and sought their support in unhindered inter-provincial movement of imported wheat. On behalf of the MNFSR, Dr Naz held a meeting with Sindh Food Secretary Laeeq Ahmed and importers to discuss the inter-provincial movement of wheat.

The MNFSR has been regularly supervising all components of wheat import chain and opting for proactive approach to minimise chances of any kind of delay. The Prime Minister’s Office is appraised on wheat import situation on daily basis, the press release said.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2020