ISLAMABAD: Wheat seed availability for the Rabi 2026-27 sowing season stands at 0.612 million tons, meeting 51 percent of the total requirement of 1.192 million tons.
According to an official document, wheat seed availability in Punjab stands at 0.553 million tons, meeting 67 percent of the province’s requirement, followed by Sindh at 0.041 million tons (23 percent), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 0.007 million tons (7 percent), and Balochistan at 0.010 million tons (13 percent).
During the previous Rabi 2025-26 sowing season, total wheat seed availability stood at 0.574 million tons, meeting 51 percent of the overall requirement, the document stated.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, asked private seed companies to reduce wheat seed prices to make seed more affordable for farmers.
He issued these directives while chairing a meeting with representatives of private seed companies and the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority (NSDRA). The meeting discussed wheat seed prices and inter-provincial movement during the meeting.
“Timely access to affordable seed is particularly important for small farmers, whose purchasing decisions are affected by the combined costs of seed, fertiliser, irrigation and other agricultural inputs,” he said.
Hussain directed NSDRA to ensure the smooth inter-provincial movement of wheat seed. Coordination with provincial authorities and seed suppliers will be important in addressing movement-related difficulties and ensuring that seed reaches farmers within the appropriate sowing period, he said.
The minister said that clear information on seed varieties, certification, pack weight and prices can further help farmers make informed purchasing decisions. “Affordable prices must be accompanied by reliable quality and timely availability to support successful crop establishment”, he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026