PBF Slams Government’s Wheat Policy, Urges CCI to Reconsider

The Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) has sharply criticized the government’s wheat policy, demanding an urgent review by the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to prevent a severe food security crisis as the harvest season begins.

The PBF condemned the government’s sudden decision to eliminate the wheat support price, warning it could devastate farmers already reeling from last year’s flawed import policies. PBF Chief Organiser Ahmad Jawad criticized the timing, pointing out the government has a year to meet International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions, making the rush to a free-market system unnecessary and reckless. He stressed that the move was made without consulting stakeholders, undermining trust.

Jawad highlighted the stark economic reality: Punjab’s average wheat price is Rs2,500 per maund, while cultivation costs hit Rs3,200 per maund, forcing farmers to absorb Rs700 per maund losses for two years. This policy threatens farmers’ livelihoods at the start of their financial cycle, potentially disrupting future crops like cotton and rice.

The PBF also warned that abolishing the 50-year-old support price system risks exploitation by middlemen, while consumers face sky-high flour prices at Rs5,800 per maund. Without immediate CCI intervention, the forum cautioned, Pakistan could face wheat imports by year-end, further straining foreign exchange reserves. Jawad recalled last year’s costly error—importing 70 vessels of wheat despite a bumper crop forecast, wasting over $1 billion.

The PBF stressed that wheat is critical to Pakistan’s food security and agricultural economy, urging the government to act swiftly to reverse this policy and protect farmers and consumers.