Pakistan may export 1 mn tonne wheat to India

Pakistan's wheat export to India could touch 1 million tonne with Islamabad already allowing the export up to 5,00,000 tonne and a bumper crop expected this year, a news report has said.

"The government has already allowed the private sector to export up to 5,00,000 tonne of wheat that India could import by sea or by rail," Muhammad Ismail Qureshi, food & agriculture secretary in the pakistani government was quoted as saying by the Dawn daily.

He said the total wheat export could reach up to 1 million tonne this year.

The official said India had floated tenders for import of 1 million tonne of wheat and Pakistan's private sector would be in a better position to compete with international wheat prices due to its lower transportation costs. Also, there is no tax or duties on export of wheat, he added.

Besides, transportation costs, India would also save on time by importing wheat from Pakistan via Lahore and Karachi to Delhi and Mumbai through the rail and sea routes.

Agricultural Development Commissioner Qadir Bakhsh Baloch told the daily that this was the first time that Pakistan had allowed wheat export to India.

Last week, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had formally approved the export of 500,000 tonne of wheat to neighbouring countries, including India and Afghanistan.

"We will announce a new plan for more wheat exports after finalisation of crop figures," Minister for Food Sikandar Hayat Bosan had said last week. The government is expecting wheat production to exceed 23 million tonne, surpassing the current 22.5 million-tonne target.

Last year, the country had produced 21.7 million tonne of wheat. Baloch claimed that Pakistan had a confirmed demand of 1 million tonne of wheat from India, the daily said.