The Ministry of National Food Security and Research (NFS&R) has decided to submit a proposal in the next meeting of Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) for imposing ban on wheat export to avert wheat shortage in the country.
"The ECC had allowed export of wheat in 2011 because of surplus wheat stock in the country. The decision of EEC might encourage huge export of wheat to drought hit USA, Russia, Argentina and other European countries which would cause wheat shortage in the country. The NFS&R Ministry feared that if ECC failed to impose ban on wheat export immediately, country will face wheat shortage in the near future like 2008", an official source told Business Recorder on Thursday.
The official said that food prices in the drought hit countries have badly increased, which is one of the main reason of export of wheat to these countries from Pakistan. The NFS&R Ministry has decided to submit a proposal in EEC meeting to impose ban on wheat export and allow only export of wheat products. The NFS&R Ministry took this decision in a meeting presided by Secretary MFS&R Ahmed Bakhsh Lehri", he said.
He said that huge export of wheat may create a situation similar to the one witnessed by the nation during Musharraf`s government as well as the country will be compelled to import wheat on higher rates than the one on which it had exported. It will cost the national exchequer billions of rupees extra whereas flour prices will surge countrywide, he said.
According to Economic Survey 2011-12, the country missed agriculture growth target because of negative growth of wheat and other minor crops. Wheat registered a negative growth of 6.7 percent mainly due to 2.6 percent decline in area under cultivation and delayed sowing.
Wheat contributes 12.5 percent to the value added agriculture and 2.6 percent to GDP. Wheat was cultivated on an area of 8666 thousands hectares in 2011-12, showing a decrease of 2.6 percent over last year's area of 8901 thousands hectares. The production of 23.5 million tons is estimated during 2011-12. The yield per hectare in 2011-12 showed a negative growth of 4.2 percent as compared 11 percent growth last year.