Upcoming wheat policy to target farmer welfare and price stability

September 11, 2025 (MLN): Pakistan is set to introduce a long-term National Wheat Policy and Wheat Management Strategy for 2025/26, designed to guarantee food security, stabilize prices, safeguard farmers’ incomes, and protect consumers against market shocks and climate-driven risks.

The policy framework was discussed at a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, who emphasized that wheat is not just a staple crop but a lifeline for millions of Pakistanis.

He said fairness and sustainability would guide the roadmap, with farmers receiving prices aligned to international trends to boost production, while middle-class and above-poverty-line consumers would pay market-based rates.

For low-income groups, subsidies and support measures will be provided, with fiscal responsibilities balanced between the federation and provinces.

Hussain highlighted that strategic reserves would be stored in modern silos instead of traditional facilities to safeguard quality and reduce climatic risks.

The federal government, he noted, would focus on managing reserves, ensuring quality assurance, supporting poor households, improving supply chain efficiencies, and advancing research into climate-resilient, high-yield wheat varieties.

He also stressed the public health dimension, pointing out that over 30 percent of women and children in Pakistan suffer from zinc, iron, and vitamin deficiencies.

To address this, the policy will promote multi-grain flour, encourage wheat fortification, and incentivize proper storage practices to preserve nutritional value.

These interventions, he said, will directly improve maternal and child health and enhance national productivity.

The Minister reaffirmed that the wheat policy will be finalized after consultations with provincial governments, farmer bodies, and the food industry to ensure broad ownership.

He added that Pakistan will not allow a “roti crisis” to emerge, pledging fair returns for farmers, stable prices for consumers, and resilience against global and climate-related shocks.

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