In a tweet made by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, it was said that the future goal of the government is to become a country that exports wheat by fulfilling the country’s need.
Pakistan has been dependent on import of wheat for the domestic requirement for many years. According to the Federal Bureau of Statistics, Pakistan imported wheat worth about one billion dollars between July and March, which is 25 percent more than the same months last year.
According to experts, Pakistan’s goal of becoming a wheat exporting country is unlikely at present. Right now, Pakistan has to get out of the category of wheat importing country, that is, it has to produce enough wheat to meet the demand at the local level.
Mehmood Nawaz Shah said that this year too Pakistan will have to import wheat due to increase in consumption by more than seven percent.
He said that according to estimates this year consumption will be more than 30 million tons, while if the production is assumed to be 270 or 800 million tons, then wheat will still have to be imported.
Shamsul Islam also agrees with the strong possibility of wheat import this year.
According to him, when a flour crisis is created, the government has to intervene to stabilize the price of flour in the market through imports.