KARACHI, Pakistan: The first vessel namely YM Summit Majuro carrying 60, 804 metric tons wheat from Ukraine berthed at Karachi port on Wednesday afternoon.
The vessel was initially subjected to health examinations and other legalities by the concerned authorities followed by detail mandatory Quarantine Inspection by the senior management of the Federal Ministry of National Food Security and Research.
The Director-General Federal Department of Plant Protection (DPP) Dr. Falak Naz and his team comprising of senior quarantine experts have thoroughly examined the imported wheat in light of national and international quarantine regulations and allowed the discharge of the vessel after satisfactory inspection.
Earlier, the Federal Food Minister Fakhar Imam along with the Federal Secretary Ministry of National Food Security Omar Hamid Khan in a press briefing before the arrival of the wheat vessel have informed about the efforts of government on the special instructions of the Prime Minister Imran Khan to immediately tackle the increasing wheat flour price issue.
The federal minister shared that the positive downward price impact of wheat import would be revealed instantly.
The wheat price in Central Punjab Mandi has already been come down from Rs 2,150 per 40 Kg to Rs 1,950.
It is expected that with enough wheat import the existing prices will come down to normal affordable limits. Transportation of imported wheat to the whole country will be started from today.
The second wheat import vessel of the private sector will reach Karachi port on August 28 followed by seven more such vessels reaching Karachi port with the interval of a week time.
The Ministry of National Food Security is in close liaison with all concerned quarters to ensure the availability of enough logistics for the timely supply of wheat to mills.
An undertaking has also been taken from each importer, which bound them that the imported wheat would solely be used for immediate consumption purpose and to refrain them for selling it as seed.
Likewise, the Ministry of National Food Security is in regular link with Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) to make necessary arrangements for the import of wheat by the public sector to strengthen the strategic wheat reserves of the country and avoid any wheat shortfall in future.
