TCP imported a total of 1,701,399 metric tons of wheat at a cost of $464.56 million during the fiscal year 2020-21.
Islamabad: The Ministry of Commerce has presented a detailed written response in the National Assembly, revealing the specifics of wheat imports over the past three years. The documents, submitted by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP), outline the quantity of wheat imported and the expenditure incurred during each fiscal year.
According to the documents, TCP imported a total of 1,701,399 metric tons of wheat at a cost of $464.56 million during the fiscal year 2020-21. In the following fiscal year, 2021-22, TCP imported 2,210,000 metric tons of wheat, spending $784.19 million. For the fiscal year 2022-23, the import quantity increased to 2,661,031 metric tons, with the expenditure rising to $1,078.9 million.
Read more: LHC Petition Calls for NAB Probe into Wheat Import Scandal
The written response clarified that these imports were carried out under the directives of the Economic Coordination Committee and the federal cabinet. TCP’s role is confined to the import and storage of wheat, while the processing and distribution are managed by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research along with the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO).
This comprehensive disclosure aims to ensure transparency regarding wheat import operations and the associated financial outlays, highlighting the government’s efforts to manage and mitigate potential food security challenges in the country.
