Who is responsible for the present wheat and wheat flour crisis prevalent in the country, in spite of having a record crop of over 23 million tons of wheat this summer? The blame game is on.
However, the nation will never know as to what action, if any, the government takes against those responsible, as witnessed in the recent past in the sugar crisis, stock exchange scam and alike.
The government is now resorting to importing one million tons of wheat at almost double the price at which it exported the commodity recently. Thus, the government is expected to pay a subsidy of Rs 12 billion on the imported wheat to keep its prices in the domestic market at an affordable level. But then, who will bear finally the additional burden of Rs 12 billion? Public exchequer, obviously!
Primarily, one observes, it is the short-sighted and lopsided economic policy of the government and poor governance, causing sky-rocketing prices of essential food items in particular, such as wheat flour, sugar, cooking oil, meat, pulses, vegetables and fruits.
One wonders as for whose benefit the government policies are framed and implemented - certainly not in the interest of the masses! On the one hand, the government has been exporting wheat and, on the other, it imports wheat, on a regular basis. The statistics are mind-boggling, indeed.
Pakistan exported wheat valuing $98 million in fiscal year 2005-06 and later imported it worth $133 million. In 2004-05, wheat valuing $91 million was exported, while its import valued $93 million. Likewise, in 2003-04, we exported wheat valuing $6 million and imported it valuing $24 million.
The export figures for wheat flour and that of commodities smuggled during the period are not accounted for. Shockingly, Pakistan has also exported fruits and vegetables valuing $166 million, $134 million and $126 million in the years 2006-07, 2005-06 and 2004-05.
Meat exports during these years amounted to $42 million, $15 million and $18 million, in these years, in addition to the export of livestock. Then, we have been importing fruits and vegetables, meat and animals, on year-on-year basis. Exports at what a cost, one may ask?