Karachi receives Russian wheat imports.

By March 30, 7.5 million tonnes of wheat must be imported from Russia. On Monday, the first shipment of wheat that the current administration imported from Russia landed in Karachi.

Officials from the Ministry of Food Security reported that two ships had arrived in the city and that a further 450,000 tonnes of wheat from Russia would go through Gwadar to reach Pakistan.

The government is importing 7.5 million tonnes of wheat altogether, and by March 30 all the wheat shipments from Russia will have arrived. Ships delivering imported wheat from other nations also arrived at Karachi harbour around this time. At the Karachi port, 350,000 tonnes of wheat have so far arrived.

Due to recent economic hardship, a lack of foreign currency, and the loss of wheat crops by floods, Pakistan’s flour issue has worsened. To purchase individual flour bags, there are lengthy lines of people.

The cost of flour rose to Rs 130 per kg, while fine flour cost Rs 150 and Chakki flour cost Rs 160 per kg. On the other hand, the inexpensive flour bag sold by the Sindh government for Rs650 and the 10kg flour bag offered by the federal government at the utility stores have both vanished from the market.

Moreover, due to the high cost of wheat and the shortage of gas, the price of roti has gone up to Rs25. Chairman of Pakistan Flour Mills Association Sindh Region, Chauhdari Amir said, the country’s wheat reserves are decreasing. “The government is providing only 30 per cent of the wheat quota. We are buying 70 per cent of wheat from the open market”.

He said that the price of a 100kg sack of wheat has increased to Rs12,500. The daily consumption of wheat in Karachi alone is 9,000 tonnes.