Pakistan set the official wheat procurement price at Rs3,500 per maund which equals forty kilograms and cleared a plan for reserves, free movement across provinces and weekly oversight to keep stocks and prices steady.
What the new policy tells about competitive wheat purchase
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high level meeting on Saturday that adopted the Wheat Policy for 2025 to 2026.
Officials said the price is aligned with prevailing import values so that public purchases remain competitive while growers receive a clear floor price.
Additionally, the centre and provinces will together buy about 6.2 million tonnes from the next harvest to build strategic stocks.
Similarly, there will be no curbs on inter provincial movement, a shift meant to improve nationwide availability.
Furthermore. the prime minister said the policy aims to protect the public while ensuring farmers earn a profit and he called farmers the backbone of the economy.
Who will supervise and coordinate new wheat policy
To keep markets stable, the federal minister for national food security will chair a national committee with representatives from every province.
In addition, the body will meet each week, monitor supplies and prices and report directly to the prime minister.
This structure is designed to improve coordination after recent frictions over movement controls.
Earlier, Punjab had tightened permits for wheat and flour which drew criticism from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to rising prices and shortages.
The new policy seeks to remove those bottlenecks and create a single national approach.
Why farmers remain dissatisfied
Grower groups say the notified price falls short of rising costs. They fear private buyers may still pay around Rs3,000 per maund despite the official rate.
Moreover, the average cost of production in Pakistan is estimated between Rs2,800 and Rs3,400 per forty kilograms and can be higher for some farmers.
By comparison, costs in other countries are lower, helped by government capped fertiliser prices.
A fifty kilogram bag of urea is roughly Rs1,200 and a bag of DAP about Rs4,500 in other South Asian countries, while Pakistani farmers face prices near Rs4,600 and Rs14,700.
Consequently, producers want cheaper inputs and timely procurement so that the announced price translates into real income.
Punjab wheat price since 2000
| Year | Price (PKR per 40 kg) |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 300 |
| 2001 | 300 |
| 2002 | 300 |
| 2003 | 300 |
| 2004 | 350 |
| 2005 | 400 |
| 2006 | 415 |
| 2007 | 425 |
| 2008 | 625 |
| 2009 | 950 |
| 2010 | 950 |
| 2011 | 950 |
| 2012 | 1,050 |
| 2013 | 1,200 |
| 2014 | 1,200 |
| 2015 | 1,300 |
| 2016 | 1,300 |
| 2017 | 1,300 |
| 2018 | 1,300 |
| 2019 | 1,300 |
| 2020 | 1,400 |
| 2021 | 1,800 |
| 2022 | 2,200 |
| 2023 | 3,900 |
| 2024 | 3,900 |
