Islamabad, October 1, 2026: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research has recommended fixing the minimum support price of wheat at Rs5,000 per 40 kilograms or above and called for a uniform subsidy mechanism for farmers across the country.
The recommendation was made during the committee’s 31st meeting, chaired by Syed Tariq Hussain, at Parliament House on Thursday.
The committee stressed that the National Wheat Policy 2026-2030 should be finalized and announced before the start of the wheat sowing season, observing that decisions taken after sowing would have limited practical value for farmers.
Members expressed concern over challenges facing the agriculture sector, including rising input costs, inadequate mechanization, poor-quality seeds, insufficient agricultural research, limited subsidies, inadequate storage facilities, weak exports and the absence of uniform and timely agricultural policies.
The Minister for National Food Security and Research briefed the committee on last year’s interim wheat policy, the proposed National Wheat Policy 2026-2030 and various subsidy models under consideration.
He said consultations with all provincial governments would be held within a week to finalize the policy and assured the committee that it would be announced before the wheat sowing season.
The committee emphasized the need for a uniform subsidy programme across the country, noting differences in provincial approaches. It was informed that Punjab was considering support through the Kissan Card, Sindh was providing assistance to farmers owning up to 25 acres, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would provide an in-kind subsidy of Rs5,000.
Members called for a simple and accessible mechanism that could benefit farmers across the country.
The committee also raised concerns over storage and marketing arrangements following the closure of PASSCO, noting that farmers would have limited alternatives for storing and marketing their wheat.
Members observed that private storage facilities often demand advance payments, creating additional financial pressure on farmers. They also highlighted the high cost of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs and called for measures to reduce production costs and ensure the timely availability of inputs.
The minister urged committee members to engage with their respective provincial governments and encourage their participation in the national wheat policy.
The committee stressed that agriculture was a key pillar of the national economy and called for coordinated measures to improve farmers’ profitability and agricultural productivity.
The committee also discussed rice exports and was informed that a good rice crop was expected this year.
It called for enhanced efforts to expand export markets and improve the competitiveness of Pakistani agricultural products.
The minister informed the committee that Saudi Arabia and Iran had encouraged their private sectors to purchase agricultural products from Pakistan, while free trade arrangements with Gulf Cooperation Council countries were expected to create further export opportunities.
The committee appreciated the efforts of the prime minister and the minister for National Food Security and Research to promote agricultural exports. It also acknowledged the Sindh government’s subsidy initiatives, including its allocation of Rs25 billion for agriculture sector subsidies.
The committee called for strict action against hoarders involved in artificially increasing the prices of DAP and other fertilizers and urged the ministry to take timely decisions on agricultural policies and support measures.
The committee also considered the Seed (Amendment) Bill, 2026. With the consent of the minister, consideration of the bill was deferred until the next meeting.
The minister said the proposed amendments were aimed at improving the bill passed by the committee in 2024 and included the merger of the Federal Seed Certification Department into the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority (NSDRA).
The committee sought clarification on certain new provisions and recommended necessary corrections.
It further directed the NSDRA to brief the committee on its initiatives and progress since 2024 and submit the rules and regulations required for the functioning of the authority within the prescribed period following enactment of the legislation.
The committee reiterated its call for timely decisions on agricultural policies, recommended a minimum wheat support price of Rs5,000 per 40kg or above, and sought an easy and uniform subsidy programme for farmers across the country.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Waseem Qadir, Choudhary Iftikhar Nazir, Abdul Qadir Khan, Nazir Ahmed Bhugio, Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, Syed Abrar Ali Shah, Zulfiqar Ali Behan, Usman Ali and Sanjay Perwani.
Senior officials from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Ministry of Law and Justice and NSDRA also attended the meeting.
