KARACHI, Sept 19: Seven more ships carrying a total of 296,000 tons wheat will arrive in the country till next week making a total import of 828,538 tons of wheat since July 16, 2008.

An official of Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) said on Friday that about 325,051 tons has already delivered to the four provinces and USC to meet shortages in wheat deficit areas.

He said currently, two vessels mv Force Ranger and mv Siam Pearl are discharging 41,000 tons and 32,900 tons of wheat, respectively, at Karachi Port.

He pointed out that a hectic activity is going on at the two ports, involving discharge, packing and transportation of wheat.

Currently, a ship mv Qin Hai is at the outer anchorage of the Karachi Port, waiting for a berth to discharge wheat, he added.

Three ships -- mv Apostolas, mv Atermon and mv Gllorgis Milas, carrying 50,500, 35,330, and 34,500 tons of wheat, respectively, will arrive on September 20 and 21.

Similarly, two ships including mv Al-Qawiyyu are discharging 85,100 tons of wheat at Port Qasim, while two more ships mv Pleione and mv SD Glory are waiting at the outer anchorage to discharge wheat.

It may be noted that TCP has awarded contracts for the supply of 1.516 million tons of wheat from worldwide sources to meet the domestic shortage.

Officials said that the TCP chief has asked stevedores and transporters to immediately lift the wheat and despatch it to the destination within three days.—APP