Pakistan’s wheat crisis deepens amid policy paralysis and rising prices

government has imposed strict restrictions on the interprovincial movement of wheat and flour through a permit-based system. Despite these measures, wheat prices continue to climb, signaling a growing imbalance between supply and demand, as reported by Dawn. According to Dawn, policy circles are embroiled in debate over whether Pakistan’s existing wheat reserves can sustain the country until Sindh’s next harvest in March or if imports are inevitable. The Pakistan Flour Mills Association claims that poultry and livestock feed mills consumed over 1.6 million tonnes of wheat within four months post-harvest, using it as a cheaper substitute for maize. Punjab’s subsequent ban on using wheat in animal feed, implemented in September 2025, has been deemed tardy and ineffective. This excessive consumption, coupled with stock losses from recent floods, makes importing approximately 1.5 million tonnes of wheat unavoidable. Uncertainty surrounds domestic reserves. The federal minister for ...