Excessive wheat import: Caretakers likely to find themselves in the dock

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) Rana Tanveer on Thursday said that the caretaker government during its tenure imported wheat that caused the problem, and responsibility will be fixed against people who allowed excessive import of the commodity.

Talking to reporters, he said that the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) said that importers imported excessive wheat beyond their quota. “The wheat import’s time limit was further extended and the commodity was also imported after the last date,” he said.

He said that the inquiry committee constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has filed its report and the report explained the facts of what has happened. “There were already 4.2million tons of wheat in the carry-forward stock,” he said.

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The minister said that the prime minister has directed for the constitution of another committee to further probe the matter, as well as, to fix responsibility over the people responsible. “There are several departments involved in the matter,” he said. He said that the State Bank of Pakistan would be contacted to know the dates of arrival of the vessels carrying wheat shipments.

Earlier, during his visit to the NARC, he said that the agriculture sector would be equipped with modern technology to reap its true potential in Pakistan. The purpose of his visit was to evaluate research standards, he said, adding that agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy.

He said that the welfare of farmers and agricultural development are the current government’s top priorities. Improving crop yield without quality seed supply is difficult, he said.

Tanveer said that the research field holds importance in every aspect of life. “The agriculture sector will be equipped with research and modern technology,” he mentioned.

He said the government will provide farmers with all possible resources. “Ensuring healthy, non-toxic fertilisers for the agricultural revolution through modern technology is a priority,” he affirmed.

The minister said over 70 per cent of Pakistan’s total population is directly or indirectly related to agriculture. “Adopting modern technology in the agricultural sector is necessary to ensure sustainable food security and increase crop yield,” he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024