ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said fair wheat prices would be announced after consultations with the provinces, and that the decision would be taken before the sowing season begins.
Chairing the first meeting of the National Agriculture and Food Security Council (NAFSC) in Islamabad, the prime minister said farmers must get fair returns on their crop while wheat stays affordable for consumers.
He said Pakistan had sufficient wheat stocks and warned hoarders that they would get no concessions.
The prime minister described agriculture as the backbone of the national economy. He pledged federal support to the provinces in the form of affordable fertilizer, quality seeds, modern machinery and training in efficient water use.
Who attended the first NAFSC meeting
The inaugural session brought together the federal government’s economic and food-security leadership: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Musadik Malik, Jam Kamal Khan, Ahsan Iqbal and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Sindh Agriculture Minister Makhdoom Mahboob Zaman represented the provinces. The presence of both at the first meeting signals that the price decision will be negotiated federally rather than imposed.
Why fair wheat prices matter for farmers
Setting fair wheat prices before the sowing season is the decision farmers have been waiting for. Planting choices for the rabi crop are made now, and the announced price determines how much wheat gets sown.
The context is a difficult year for wheat. Punjab’s Wheat Policy 2026 set a procurement benchmark of Rs3,500 per maund and handed reserve-building to private firms, but the open market kept paying more, and farmers in southern Punjab reported selling at around Rs3,100. Flour prices climbed through the year, and Punjab recently approved a Rs10 billion flour subsidy as the price hike bit.
The prime minister’s promise tries to answer both sides of that squeeze: growers need a price that covers rising input costs, and households need flour they can afford. The consultation with provinces is meant to produce a number both can live with.
The hoarding warning
The prime minister’s warning to hoarders was blunt. With wheat stocks sufficient, he said, anyone withholding grain to force prices up would face action without concessions.
Hoarding has been a recurring feature of Pakistan’s wheat cycles. Past seasons have seen traders and stockists sit on grain while retail flour prices climbed, with the government scrambling to release stocks. The council’s first meeting put enforcement on the agenda alongside pricing.
Frequently asked questions
When will the new wheat prices be announced?
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the new wheat prices will be announced after consultations with the provinces, and that the decision will be taken before the sowing season begins.
What is the NAFSC?
The National Agriculture and Food Security Council is a newly constituted federal body bringing together federal ministers and provincial representatives to coordinate agriculture policy and food security.
Who attended the first NAFSC meeting?
Ishaq Dar, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Musadik Malik, Jam Kamal Khan, Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Sindh Agriculture Minister Makhdoom Mahboob Zaman attended the inaugural session.
