Islamabad:Subsequent to stringent efforts of Ministry of National Food Security, third vessel namely MV Coventy carrying 69,000 metric tons of wheat from Ukraine has reached Karachi port. A total of 195,000 metric tons wheat has been imported through three vessels since last week of August 2020 by encouraging private by the Federal Food Ministry.
The experts of Federal Department of Plant Protection (DPP) undertook the mandatory quarantine inspection of vessel to check biosecurity risks on Wednesday evening. Discharge was instantly granted to vessel after satisfactory phytosanitary examination.
The Ministry of National Food Security is in close liaison with concerned provincial authorities to ensure unhindered movement of wheat cargoes from Karachi to other parts of the country.
A significant impact of recent wheat import has been observed on wheat flour price in the country. It is expected that this impact will be more apparent in next few days when the imported-wheat reaches to flour mills in various parts of the country. It is known through informal sources that the hoarded wheat in the country has also been come to the surface as a result of recent wheat import besides government’s anti-hoarding operations.
Syed Fakhar Imam, the Federal Minister for National Food Security has reassured government’s commitment to provide essential food commodities on affordable prices. Likewise, Mr. Omar Hamid Khan, the Federal Secretary for Food Security has been personally supervising wheat import process that included proactive liaison with concerned authorities in wheat-exporting countries, timely port inspection on arrival of vessel, and unobstructed carriage of wheat from Karachi port. These efforts have greatly contributed in justified landing cost of wheat on Karachi port.
More wheat import vessels are scheduled to arrive Karachi port with the gap of 4-5 days each, which will curb the higher wheat prices and may give great relief to common masses.