Canada has once again offered 750,000 tonnes of wheat on deferred payment to Pakistan. Earlier, the offer could not be mature due to the shortage of time for getting ECC clearance, well-placed sources told Business Recorder here on Monday.
According to the sources, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal) told the 17th meeting of the Economic Monitoring Committee held on September 15 that Canada had offered 750,000 tones of wheat on deferred payments at the price of US $474 CNF Karachi that includes 360 days credit. This offer has to be responded to by 1800 hrs on September 15, 2008, the sources said.
Sources said that this offer could not be responded positively due to shortage of time. "The committee was of the view that without the approval of Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC), the offer could not be entertained. So, the offer was rejected".
A senior official of Minfal told this scribe that now Canada has offered the wheat again and the ministry might accept the offer if discount cost of deferred payment and transportation are netted out and it should not go beyond $340 per tonnes.
Sources said that almost 1.4 million tonnes imported wheat has reached the country, while the rest of 1.1 million tonnes will reach in December. Despite the import of huge quantity of wheat, NWFP and Balochistan are still facing shortage of this essential commodity.
The 20 kg of wheat is being sold at Rs 800 and price of Roti (piece of bread) has shot up to Rs 10 in the provinces. Sources said that the inter-provincial ban on wheat movement by Punjab might be the main reason behind this extreme shortage. They said that the Food Ministry would soon write a letter to the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani requesting him to press Punjab Food Department to lift the ban.
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