Key Takeaways
- The federal government has invited bids for the import of 750,000 metric tonnes of wheat.
- The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) is handling the international tender.
- Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are expected to receive 300,000, 250,000, and 200,000 metric tonnes respectively.
The federal government has initiated a process to import 750,000 metric tonnes of wheat to bolster domestic supplies and meet provincial requirements, according to a statement from the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP).
The procurement is being managed through an international tender, with the TCP inviting sealed bids from international suppliers for the supply of the wheat.
The wheat will be procured on a Cost and Freight (C&F) basis for delivery to Karachi or Gwadar ports, with suppliers allowed a quantity variation of plus or minus 10 percent.
The wheat must be from the latest crop year and can be supplied directly by international suppliers or through their local offices or representatives registered with the relevant federal or provincial tax authorities.
Suppliers must have the capacity to provide wheat in bulk from sources anywhere in the world, and the contracted wheat will have to be delivered according to the shipment schedule specified in the tender documents.
The wheat must meet the prescribed quality standards and specifications and comply with the Import Policy Order in force.
According to government sources, bids for quantities below 50,000 metric tonnes, with the permitted plus or minus 10 percent variation, will not be accepted.
The decision to import 750,000 metric tonnes was approved by a committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
The procurement follows an earlier decision by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to approve the import of 1 million metric tonnes after the provinces sought additional supplies.
The proposed imports come against a national wheat requirement estimated at about 31.3 million tonnes for the 2026-27 market year, compared with a production forecast of around 29.6 million tonnes.
The Economic Survey 2025-26 estimated wheat production at about 29.61 million tonnes, up from 28.40 million tonnes a year earlier.
The availability of existing stocks is another factor in the government’s supply management efforts. PASSCO, which maintains strategic wheat reserves and supplies deficit provinces when required, held about 1.783 million tonnes of wheat as of the first week of July, sources added.
