KARACHI, Oct 4: The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) plans to import 50,000 to 75,000 tons more wheat from Russia or Ukrainian belt after it found the flour obtained from grinding of some quantity of 155,000 tons imported Russian wheat "excellent and acceptable to the consumers".

TCP Chairman Syed Massod Alam Rizvi invited Sarosh Afzal, proprietor of a local flour mill at a press conference on Monday at his office who informed newsmen that he operated his mill by grinding 100 per cent imported Russian wheat, without mixing any local wheat, and found that the "product received is not only excellent but it has been widely accepted by the consumer market of atta".

Import of Russian wheat has become a controversy after it was found to be "hard and red" and was declared by many self-styled experts as "unfit for consumption in Pakistan". But Mr Sarosh and few other persons believed that all those who have a vested interest in wheat import from USA, Australia and other western sources were behind this negative publicity against Russian wheat.

Masood Rizvi was pointedly asked to explain as to why India was excluded from the wheat import sources. He was told that karnal bunt fungus is found only in some parts of East Punjab. Wheat from Bhopal and parts of UP is considered to be of best nutritious value. The TCP chairman said fungus-free wheat can be imported from any sources.

Mr Rizvi disclosed that the over 927,000 tons imported wheat ordered against two tenders floated and opened in August would be delivered at the Karachi port by December end. This import includes 155,000 tons of Russian wheat imported at the rate of $198 per ton by a Swiss company to be delivered in four shipments.

One of the four ships carrying 40,520 tons of Russian wheat has already unloaded wheat at the Port Qasim and another ship with 40,400 tons of wheat started unloading at Karachi Port on Monday. The third ship carrying 38,775 tons is due here on October 11 and the fourth ship with 35,000 tons of wheat will reach here on October 21.

Mr Rizvi said that the TCP was expected to place order for import of 300,000 tons of Russian wheat but remained somewhat cautious because the import was being made for the first time. Now that this wheat has been found good and acceptable the TCP plans to import 50,000 to 75,000 tons of more wheat.

Of the total 927,000 tons of wheat about 350,000 tons is coming from Australia and more than 400,000 from the USA by end December in 20 shipments. He feared that despite announcement of rise in wheat procurement price to Rs400 a maund, the sowing of wheat may be affected if sugarcane harvesting and cotton picking is delayed. "As much as 20 per cent area under sugarcane and cotton is used for wheat cultivation".

He announced the TCP is opening a tender on Wednesday for import of 150,000 tons of urea which would be offered to farmers at Rs450 a bag. The TCP will import later 100,000 tons of more urea.

The TCP chairman said that imported urea would reach Pakistan sometimes in November. A journalist reminded him that wheat sowing in Sindh begins from middle of October and delay in urea shipment can deprive many farmers from sowing wheat in their fields.

Mr Rizvi announced that on government instructions the corporation has procured 61,400 bales of cotton till Monday from the farmers. In the initial phase the TCP plans to buy 100,000 bales of cotton and announced that "we will remain in the market till a ginner gets a minimum of Rs2,159 per 40 kg".

He said that that the TCP was releasing sugar from its stock purchased from the sugar mill owners. This sugar will be sold to the consumers at Rs21 a kg which gives a marginal profit to the corporation.

He said that sugar was procured from the sugar mills after they have given a firm pledge to clear all the arrears of the sugarcane growers and a commitment to begin sugarcane crushing by November 1.