Sindh To Release Wheat Stocks To Curb Flour Prices

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved the release of government wheat at Rs12,500 per 100-kilogramme bag from October 15, aiming to stabilise flour prices and improve availability across the province. The decision was taken during a food department meeting at Chief Minister House in Karachi.

The chief minister directed the food department to begin releasing the wheat on schedule and ensure that the benefit of the subsidised rate reaches consumers. The move comes as wheat and flour prices have shown an upward trend in the market, raising concern for households already facing food inflation pressure.

Officials briefed the meeting that Sindh currently holds 346,414 metric tonnes of wheat stocks across districts. The stock position is expected to rise significantly after the addition of 190,000 metric tonnes from the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation and 300,000 metric tonnes of imported wheat.

Once those additional stocks are included, the total wheat available for release is expected to reach 836,414 metric tonnes. Karachi Division currently holds 135,948 metric tonnes, and its availability is expected to increase to 565,948 metric tonnes after the arrival of the Passco and imported stocks.

The meeting was also informed that 30,000 metric tonnes have been allocated for Hyderabad region, while 60,000 metric tonnes have been earmarked for Mirpurkhas and Shaheed Benazirabad regions from Passco reserves. The province had released 974,982 metric tonnes of wheat last year.

Market data reviewed at the meeting showed wheat in Karachi selling at around Rs13,200 per 100kg, while retail flour prices were between Rs165 and Rs170 per kg. On October 1, wheat had been trading at Rs12,400 per 100kg and flour at Rs160 to Rs165 per kg, indicating a price increase within days.

After reviewing the stock position, subsidy impact and market trends, the chief minister approved the Rs12,500 per 100kg issue price. He also instructed the food department to monitor the market closely so that the release helps stabilise prices rather than merely increasing supply on paper.

The decision matters beyond Sindh because wheat and flour prices directly affect household food budgets across Pakistan. If the release is managed effectively, it could ease pressure on consumers in urban centres such as Karachi and reduce the risk of further flour price spikes in the coming weeks.