KARACHI: (News Desk) – Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has ordered authorities to intensify operations against wheat hoarders and recover illegally stored stocks to prevent artificial shortages and price manipulation in the province.
Chairing a Food Department meeting in Karachi on Thursday, the chief minister directed officials to closely monitor wheat prices, market conditions and supply chains. He ordered a complete crackdown on hoarding and illegal profiteering, instructing the department to submit detailed reports every two weeks covering wheat stocks, purchases, enforcement operations and market trends.
The meeting reviewed wheat production, reserves, availability, future requirements and current prices of wheat and flour across Sindh. Officials informed the chief minister that more than 172,000 metric tons of concealed wheat had been recovered from different flour mills.
The department reported that wheat availability in markets has improved, while flour prices have stabilized. Officials said Sindh produced around 4.7 million metric tons of wheat during the 2025-26 season and currently holds around 140,000 metric tons from previous reserves.
However, the province could face a wheat shortfall of approximately 2.1 million metric tons by March 2027 due to consumption and movement of wheat outside Sindh.
Murad Ali Shah emphasized that wheat is a strategic commodity directly linked to food security and public welfare. He directed officials to ensure additional wheat supplies are arranged to meet the expected deficit and maintain sufficient reserves.
The meeting was informed that by July 15, 2026, around 2.6 million metric tons of wheat had been consumed or utilized in the province. This included supplies for human consumption, transfers outside Sindh and wheat reserved for future seed requirements.
Officials said Sindh currently has around 2.24 million metric tons of wheat stocks, with approximately 1.23 million metric tons available in the supply chain. Flour mills and farmers also hold significant quantities for processing and personal use, while the Food Department maintains substantial government reserves.
The province is expected to require nearly 4.35 million metric tons of wheat between July 15, 2026 and March 15, 2027. The chief minister questioned the lack of record regarding around 6.10 million metric tons of wheat and instructed officials to prepare a comprehensive wheat management strategy.
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The Food Department informed the meeting that the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) had offered 220,000 metric tons of wheat to Sindh at a rate of Rs4,150 per 40 kilograms. However, Murad Ali Shah said the province would still face a shortage of about 1.89 million metric tons even after this supply.
Officials proposed purchasing additional wheat from PASSCO to bridge the expected gap. The chief minister said ensuring food security remains a top priority and directed authorities to maintain an uninterrupted supply of wheat and flour at affordable prices.
Murad Ali Shah added that there is currently no immediate wheat shortage in Sindh but stressed the need for proactive measures to prevent future supply challenges.
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