ISLAMABAD/KARACHI:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday approved an indicative wheat price of Rs4,500 per maund for 2027, up Rs1,000 from last year’s Rs3,500.
However, the proposed price of Rs4,500 is still Rs500 less than the price demanded by farmers.
The prime minister said the increase was meant to provide relief to growers facing higher production costs, rising petrol prices and inflationary pressure.
He said giving farmers an effective incentive to sow wheat was among the main objectives of the decision, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said.
The prime minister said the decision would be an important step towards strengthening national food security, encouraging local production and bringing stability to the agriculture sector.
The new price is expected to help farmers recover their input costs and earn a reasonable profit, he said.
The prime minister acknowledged the guidance of President Asif Ali Zardari and Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in the matter, as well as the consultation and cooperation of the chief ministers of Punjab and Sindh.
He expressed special thanks to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for her cooperation and valuable suggestions during the consultative process, and appreciated her role in it.
He also thanked Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah for his cooperation.
Separately, National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain has promised a better support price for wheat farmers this season, saying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will coordinate with the provinces to establish a uniform rate as the government seeks to stabilise the market.
Speaking to the media on Friday after inaugurating the upgraded Central Plant Quarantine Laboratory (CPQL), the minister said farmers had received low prices for their wheat. He expressed hope that market prices would decline within a few days, adding that bringing wheat to the market was the responsibility of provincial governments.
“Ensuring food supplies for a population of 260 million is a challenge,” he said. “The federal government has reserved one million metric tonnes of wheat and issued directives to preserve the stocks. Pakistan has a surplus of rice and tomatoes,” he added.
Turning to the sugar sector, the minister said farmers often struggled to secure an appropriate price for sugarcane in the following season when sugar production exceeded domestic demand. He attributed some of the difficulties to inaccurate data and said the prime minister had directed the development of a mechanism to ensure 100% accuracy.
“The country currently has a surplus of sugar that could be exported to benefit farmers,” he said, adding that the ex-mill price was below production cost. He told reporters that sugarcane crushing was scheduled to begin on November 15.
Tanveer also acknowledged that farmers lacked adequate information and awareness. “The government has undertaken awareness initiatives in coordination with provincial administrations,” he said, adding that efforts were under way to reduce palm oil imports by developing alternatives.
Speaking about the CPQL, he said the laboratory had been upgraded at a cost of Rs400 million. The facility had previously been in disrepair, its machinery was non-functional and the grant allocated for it had been wasted, he added.
“Importers and exporters had lodged numerous complaints about testing standards, and bribery had become widespread. I cannot say that angels have been working here, but we have broken the mafia. Today, all the mafias have been eliminated,” the minister said.
He said the Ministry of National Food Security had partnered with the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, operating under the University of Karachi’s HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, to upgrade the laboratory. Trained and experienced HEJ staff had been deployed at the facility, he added.
The upgraded laboratory will enhance testing capacity, strengthen export capabilities and enable commercial testing of pesticide residues, he said. The number of interceptions in the plant quarantine sector had already fallen from 376 to 23, and the new facility was expected to bring further improvement.
Livestock
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the restructuring of the Livestock and Dairy Development Board and directed that the selection of its chairman and members be carried out transparently and strictly on merit.
The prime minister chairing a review meeting on reforms in the livestock sector, said the board should be made an effective and active institution by inducting capable and experienced professionals from the private sector, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said.
The prime minister directed the authorities concerned to present a comprehensive action plan for the complete eradication of foot-and-mouth disease, with clear targets, measurable results and a fixed timeframe.
He announced that the federal government was establishing a plant in Islamabad for the production of modern and effective livestock vaccines, using its own resources.
The prime minister also directed that world-class consultants be engaged for the development of the livestock and dairy sector, and that the experiences of countries with expertise in the field be drawn upon. He called for partnerships with such countries to be promoted.
Noting that Pakistan possessed vast potential in the livestock sector, the prime minister stressed that it should be harnessed for exports and economic growth. He said improvements in animal health, breeding, production and the value chain would help the country fully realise its export potential, while also boosting the rural economy and creating employment opportunities.
The meeting was given a briefing on the restructuring of the board, animal disease surveillance, vaccination, animal identification and traceability, and measures to increase exports of meat and dairy products.
Alvarez & Marsal
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s willingness to open its economy to promising international markets and consult globally recognised economic experts to advance the country’s economic growth and prosperity.
The prime minister expressed these views during a meeting with Peter Briggs, Managing Director of North American Operations at international consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M).
Shehbaz said that after achieving economic and fiscal stability, the government was taking effective measures to introduce deep-rooted structural reforms and promote export-led growth and a productive economy.
He highlighted the government’s focus on improving the performance and efficiency of the domestic manufacturing sector while taking measures to attract foreign direct investment (FDI).
The prime minister said the government was pursuing a strategy to assess the economic viability of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and subsequently move towards privatisation to support the national economy and promote growth.
Emphasising the importance of expertise and professional capacity, Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan recognised the need for qualified professionals and expert teams to strengthen its economic growth engine.
He added that Pakistan was ready to establish productive partnerships with international consulting firms to support economic growth while ensuring tangible results and accountability.
Briggs thanked the prime minister for the meeting and appreciated the government’s commitment to attracting foreign investment and engaging with international economic experts.
He also expressed A&M’s eagerness to cooperate with Pakistan to promote a progressive business environment and a productive economy.
