Imported wheat reaches Karachi port in a 51,000-tonne cargo, as the government moves to steady supplies and bring flour prices under control.
The geared vessel MV Gokova M docked at Karachi Port on Wednesday, the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) said. The ship was given Berths 16 and 17 and arrived at 12:25pm on October 28.
A second wheat cargo is due next week. The vessel MV Great Rainbow is expected on November 3, and KPT said the two ships together carry a declared wheat cargo of more than 110,000 tonnes.
Imported wheat reaches Karachi port: handling and supply
The wheat is being handled at Karachi Gateway Terminal Multipurpose Limited (KGTML). KPT said the work underlines the port’s role in supporting essential commodity imports and keeping cargo operations efficient.
The shipment comes days after Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain announced that the government will keep wheat reserves of up to 6 million tonnes. He said there will be no wheat shortage this year, and that up to 550,000 tonnes could be imported based on what provinces need.
Hussain called the recent rise in wheat prices artificial. He said prices should return to normal within days.
Support price rise and the import decision
Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif raised the wheat support price by Rs1,000 to Rs4,500 per maund for 2027. The higher support price is meant to encourage growers, while imports are meant to protect consumers from short-term price spikes.
Separately, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting of the Steering Committee on Wheat on Wednesday. The committee reviewed grain availability across the country and import plans to keep supplies steady.
Dar directed the authorities to watch the market closely. He said wheat supply must stay adequate and atta prices must move downward.
Why both imports and a higher support price
The two steps pull in different directions, and that is the point. A higher support price helps farmers by lifting what they earn for the next crop. Imports help households by adding supply now, when prices have risen.
The test in the coming weeks will be simple. If the new cargoes reach mills and markets smoothly, flour prices should ease. If supplies stall at the port or in distribution, the price relief the government has promised will be slower to arrive.
The November 3 arrival of the second ship gives the next date to watch. Together, the two cargoes cover more than 110,000 tonnes, a sizeable addition to stocks at a time when the government has pledged reserves of up to 6 million tonnes.
What happens after the ships dock
Once the wheat is unloaded at KGTML, the next steps matter as much as the arrival itself. The cargo must move from the terminal to mills and markets in the provinces that need it, and the pace of that movement will shape retail flour prices.
Provincial demand will decide how much more is imported, within the 550,000-tonne limit the food security minister cited. That link between provincial need and import volume is meant to stop both shortages and excess stocks.
The Steering Committee on Wheat will keep reviewing availability and import plans. Its Wednesday meeting set the pattern: check stocks, check prices, and adjust imports before a local shortage can take hold.
Feature Pakistan earlier reported on a World Bank package linked to wheat and sugar reforms, on food security in Pakistan, and on the regional trade deficit. The new wheat cargoes sit within that wider picture: imports, reforms and trade balances all shape what households pay for flour.
Frequently asked questions
How much wheat arrived at Karachi Port?
Around 51,000 tonnes arrived on the vessel MV Gokova M, which docked at Berths 16 and 17 at 12:25pm on October 28.
When does the second wheat ship arrive?
The MV Great Rainbow is expected on November 3, taking the declared cargo of the two ships to more than 110,000 tonnes.
What did the government say about wheat prices?
Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain said there will be no shortage this year, called the recent price rise artificial, and said prices should return to normal within days.
