LAHORE, Nov 8: Iraq has committed to purchase one million ton wheat from Pakistan next year that would effectively take care of the country’s major problem of surplus yield.

This was stated by Export Promotion Bureau chairman Tariq Ikram while speaking to businessmen here at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Thursday.

Ikram, who has recently returned from a visit to Iraq, said Iraq would purchase 500,000 ton wheat in the first half of 2002 and the remaining during the second half of the year.

He said the Trading Corporation of Pakistan was working out the details of the commitment received from Iraq regarding the wheat purchase.

Iraq imports three million ton wheat every year to meet its needs. Pakistan had signed an agreement with Iraq under which the latter had committed to make the former a major supplier of wheat.

The EPB chairman said the order, however, hinged on Pakistan’s ability to deliver such a large quantity to Iraq according to its specifications and its success to replace (substandard) wheat supplied to it earlier.

He said Iraqi specifications allowed presence of one per cent ‘foreign content’ like sand and stones in the wheat to be supplied to it.