Wheat MSP to be finalized pending IMF approval

September 24, 2025 (MLN): Pakistan is set to inform the minimum support price (MSP) for wheat after securing approval from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Minister for National Food Security and Research told lawmakers on Tuesday.

The development came during the 19th meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research, chaired by Syed Tariq Hussain.

The Committee warned that farmers may abandon staple crops for more lucrative options, fueling supply risks and destabilizing markets.

Lawmakers recommended that the government inform intervention prices for major crops to protect growers and ensure food security.

The Minister assured members that the wheat MSP would be unveiled “soon,” following IMF clearance a step viewed as essential to stabilizing domestic agriculture.

The meeting, held in Islamabad, also reviewed a wide range of policy challenges from tobacco regulation to biotechnology adoption.

Lawmakers deferred a point of order by former Speaker Asad Qaiser on tobacco growers’ concerns due to his absence, but reiterated that tobacco should be given due importance.

The Ministry was directed to strengthen research and seed development, with the Pakistan Tobacco Board asked to update the Committee on flavored tobacco pricing and smuggling trends.

Tobacco companies present were instructed to submit written accounts of their key issues and proposed solutions.

Members also recommended earmarking part of the Board’s funds for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs to uplift tobacco-growing regions.

The Federal Board of Revenue briefed the Committee on five years of excise duty and cess collections from tobacco.

Provincial agriculture departments joined via Zoom to discuss seed regulation enforcement. The Minister noted that while enforcement authority has been devolved, most provinces except Punjab have been hesitant to act.

Lawmakers expressed concern over provincial no-shows and called for tighter federal-provincial coordination.

On sugar markets, the Committee asked the Ministry to disclose details of export and import prices, as shortages and soaring rates weigh on consumers.

It also directed the Ministry to provide a flood damage assessment of crops at the next meeting.

The Ministry further briefed lawmakers on the National Agriculture Biotechnology Policy (NABP) 2025, which targets breakthroughs in genetically modified (GM) crops, conventional biotechnology, and new plant breeding tools.

While officials stressed the importance of biotechnology in addressing climate change and population growth pressures, the Committee voiced concerns over declining yields compared with regional peers.

The Committee warned that hesitation to adopt GMOs has left Pakistan behind, though it stressed the need for strict biosafety checks, regulatory safeguards, and mandatory Bio-Safety Committee clearance to prevent risks to health, environment, and export markets.

The Ministry was directed to present Phase II feasibility of NABP 2025 in the next meeting.

The Committee’s session brought together MNAs including Rana Muhammad Hayat Khan, Nadeem Abbas, Chaudhary Iftikhar Nazir, Abdul Qadir Khan, Zulfiqar Ali Behan, Usman Ali, Nazir Ahmed Bughio, Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani and Syed Ayaz Ali Shah Sheerazi.

Senior officials from the Ministry, FBR, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority (NSDRA), as well as tobacco growers and companies were also in attendance.

With wheat as the country’s most critical staple, the upcoming MSP announcement is expected to anchor market stability, influence inflation dynamics, and secure farmer participation in the next sowing season.

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