Govt asked to allow export of surplus wheat

As the outcome of the caretakers’ wheat import scandal is still pending, traders are now urging the government to allow export of wheat and its related products. Cereal Association of Pakistan (CAP) Chairman Muzammil Chappal claimed that the country has a surplus of 3.9 million tonnes of wheat, and the association has asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to allow its export immediately. He said the country has 36m tonnes of wheat stocks (31.4m tonnes of local production and 4.6m tonnes of carry forward stock), much higher than the annual consumption of 32m tonnes. Mr Chappal said wheat exports would help growers get good prices, as they have so far failed to get handsome prices for their produce.