April 4, 2007

Pakistan plans to export surplus wheat
 

Pakistan's exceed output target of 22.5 million tonnes of wheat for the current year and will have the country export the surplus, its Agriculture ministry said Tuesday (April 3).

In December, Pakistan lifted a two-and-a-half year ban on wheat exports and allowed shipment of 800,000 tonnes after a good harvest.

Minister for Food and Agriculture Sikander Hayat Khan Bosan said the government was expecting a big harvest in the current year but did not disclose the volume of the exports.

Pakistan banned the export of wheat in May 2004 after local supplies ran short.

After the ban, the government initially allowed the export of 500,000 tonnes but raised that to 800,000 tonnes last month because of abundant supplies.

Pakistan, which consumes 22 million tonnes of wheat a year, has bumper stocks of 2.1 million tonnes from last year's crop.

Deals for up to 200,000 tonnes of wheat had been finalised by March and a few shipments had already left the country.

Pakistani wheat is in demand for its quality and the Australian Wheat Board is looking at supplies from the country.

Exporters said they were also getting orders from the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Before the export ban, Pakistan's main markets were the Middle East and Africa.