Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research has urged private seed companies to reduce wheat seed prices ahead of the upcoming Rabi sowing season, as current supplies are sufficient to meet only 51 percent of the country’s total seed requirement.
National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain chaired a meeting on Wednesday with private seed companies and the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority (NSDRA) to discuss seed prices and the movement of wheat seed between provinces.
The meeting focused on reducing farmers’ input costs and ensuring an uninterrupted supply of seed across provinces to support timely sowing and national food security, according to an official statement.
Hussain said the limited use of certified wheat seed remained a major challenge for wheat production. The government is promoting climate-resilient, high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties through research and seed multiplication programs.
He emphasized that affordable seed and timely availability were particularly important for small farmers, whose purchasing decisions are affected by the combined costs of seed, fertilizer, irrigation and other agricultural inputs.
The minister directed the NSDRA to ensure the smooth movement of wheat seed between provinces.
He said coordination with provincial authorities and seed suppliers was necessary to address transportation and distribution issues and ensure farmers receive seed within the appropriate sowing period.
According to a document on wheat seed availability for the 2026-27 Rabi season, 611,793.06 tons of seed are available through procurement, meeting 51 percent of the total requirement of 1,191,555 tons.
Punjab accounts for 553,008.75 tons covering 67 percent of its requirement. Sindh has 40,873.89 tons meeting 23 percent of its requirement, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has 7,458.62 tons, or 7 percent, and Balochistan has 10,451.80 tons, or 13 percent.
For the previous Rabi season of 2025-26, total wheat seed availability stood at 574,329.53 tons also covering 51 percent of the requirement.
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