July 21, 2005

Pakistan to import 60,000 tonnes of wheat

Pakistan will be importing some 60,000 tonnes of wheat after the Pakistani government withdrew its regulatory duty to bridge possible demand-supply gap in the wheat commodity.

The commodity, bought at an estimated US$158 per tonne, is expected to arrive in August and would be available in the Pakistani market by mid-September.

Agricultural authorities estimated earlier this year for a bumper wheat crop this season, and shelved the 100,000-tonne wheat import initially planned to meet the wheat shortfall.

However, bad weather later reduced this year's crop production.

Importers now estimate that Pakistan needs to import a total of 700,000 tonnes of wheat to bridge the feared demand-supply gap, likely to emerge in this winter.