KP urges Punjab to lift wheat transport curbs amid supply concerns

• Information Minister Shafi Jan says unrestricted wheat movement crucial for food security and market stability

• Says imports around 3.8m metric tonnes of wheat from Punjab every year, stressing Punjab's 6m metric tonne surplus should be allowed to move freely

• Assures consumers of adequate stocks despite reliance on inter-provincial supplies, saying local wheat procurement approved at Rs3,500 per 40kg to boost production

 PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government on Monday called on the Punjab government to immediately lift restrictions on inter-provincial wheat transportation, warning that the continued curbs were disrupting supplies to the province and stressing that the unrestricted movement of wheat was vital for ensuring food security and maintaining stability in the national wheat market.

Addressing a press conference in Peshawar, KP Information Minister Shafi Jan said the wheat situation in the province remained stable and there was no shortage for consumers despite its heavy reliance on imports from Punjab.

“KP requires around 5.4 million metric tonnes of wheat annually, while the province produces approximately 1.6 million metric tonnes,” he pointed out.

The minister said government warehouses currently hold 153,000 metric tonnes of wheat, while the private sector possesses more than 116,000 metric tonnes, ensuring satisfactory availability of the commodity across the province.

Shafi Jan said the provincial government had also approved the procurement of wheat from local farmers to encourage domestic production and ensure growers received a fair return for their produce. Under the policy, wheat will be purchased at Rs3,500 per 40 kilograms, he added.

Calling for the immediate removal of restrictions on wheat movement between provinces, the minister said the uninterrupted flow of wheat in line with market demand was essential to maintaining adequate supplies and preventing unnecessary market distortions.

He said stronger inter-provincial cooperation would not only reinforce food security but also contribute to greater stability in the country's wheat market. He expressed hope that the Punjab government would respond positively to the province's request in the larger national interest.

Meanwhile, KP Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Food Israr Safi said the province produces significantly less wheat than its annual consumption and imports around 3.8 million metric tonnes from Punjab every year.

He said Punjab currently has a surplus of around 6 million metric tonnes of wheat, but restrictions on its movement were adversely affecting KP's supplies. He added that the price of wheat in Punjab had risen from Rs7,000 per metric tonne last year to Rs10,000 per metric tonne this year.

Safi said the continued disruption in wheat supplies from Punjab had pushed up prices in KP. He added that the provincial government had so far procured 175,000 metric tonnes of wheat from the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) to help meet local demand and ensure market stability.