अफगानिस्तान से छिड़ी जंग… अब आटे के लिए भी तरसेगा पाकिस्तान, US रिपोर्ट की गंभीर चेतावनी – Pakistan Wheat Crisis US Agri Department Warning During Afghanistan War tutd
There is expected to be a reduction in wheat production in Pakistan this time. The report of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows that this time Pakistan will produce 20-22 lakh tonnes less wheat as compared to last year. This estimate has created concern among Pakistani rulers. The problem is very big, because most of the population of this country is dependent on wheat flour and products made from it. Products like roti, double roti, khamiri roti and naan are eaten with gusto. Rice and maize are found in abundance here, but most of it is exported. This time the problem seems to be serious because the decline of 22 lakh tonnes of wheat can make starvation even more painful.
The fall in wheat production will hurt Pakistan also because neighboring countries afghanistan He has enmity with India and now both the countries are in the battlefield. Baloch fighters are also supporting this attack in Afghanistan. The area of Baloch fighters is the same where wheat is cultivated on a large scale.
There is a huge wheat belt from Khyber to Pakhtunkhwa. This entire area of Baloch is disturbed nowadays because there is a war like situation against Pakistan. In this way Pakistan is fighting on two fronts simultaneously. On one hand there is shortage of wheat and on the other hand there is war with Afghanistan and Baloch.
Afghanistan, Baloch increased tension
How serious this problem of decline in wheat can be can be gauged from the fact that the relationship between Pakistan and wheat is like that between meat and marrow. Both are non-existent without each other. Pakistan’s agricultural sector is incomplete without wheat and GDP is also without any value. According to a report, the share of wheat in Pakistan’s total GDP is 2-3 percent. This is the reason why everyone, from eaters to earners, is troubled by the decline in wheat.
Why the decline in wheat yield?
The question is why is there such a decline in Pakistan’s wheat production? There are many reasons, some of which are very important. Prolonged drought, especially in rain-dependent areas, is the main reason for this decline in yields. Due to drought, the area under wheat cultivation in Pakistan reduced from 10.37 million hectares to 9.1 million hectares in 2025-26.
Pakistan Meteorological Department reports that rainfall in the beginning of 2025 was 39 percent below average, due to which southern and rain-dependent areas were most affected. Without water for irrigation, farmers find it difficult to keep their wheat crops healthy, which impacts overall yields and income.
Not only this, the government delayed in announcing the support price of wheat (like procurement is done at MSP in India) for 2025-26. Due to apprehension about the right price and purchase, many farmers remained confused about sowing wheat, due to which there was reduction in sowing, supply and yield.
Farming is related to livelihood
For many farmers in Pakistan, wheat farming is a matter of subsistence and livelihood. Wheat farming has become difficult due to declining yields, rising farming costs and no support from the government, especially in areas that depend on rain. The area of Punjab is most special in this, which is also called the wheat bowl in Pakistan. Punjab is the only province which decides whether the Pakistani people will be fed or left without food. This time there is drought in Punjab, hence lakhs of people will be craving for bread. If you look at the data of one or two years, you will know how the price of flour is skyrocketing because there is a big decline in the wheat production. Experts say that wheat and flour have pushed Pakistan further into poverty.
flour price in pakistan
To understand how flour is making common people poor in Pakistan, one must know the price of flour.
Flour prices in Pakistan (as of end February 2026) vary depending on region and quality. The price of a 10 kg bag generally ranges from Rs 890 to more than Rs 1,500. The price of the best-selling 20 kg bag is around Rs 1,780–1,810. The price of premium chakki flour is around Rs 160–200 per kg.
In Islamabad, a 10 kg bag is available for around Rs 890-900, and a 20 kg bag for around Rs 1,780. If we look at retail prices in Karachi or Lahore, a 10 kg bag (e.g., Metro Chef) costs around Rs 905, and a 15-20 kg bag ranges from Rs 1,729 to Rs 1,885. The price of a 5 kg packet of fortified or premium chakki flour ranges from Rs 600 to Rs 875. A 5 kg pack of premium desi chakki flour is available for around Rs 880–1,090.
Indus water agreement the big reason?
Now let us know why the severe drought situation arose in the wheat bowl Punjab? Experts believe that the sourness of the Indus Water Treaty is also a reason for this. This agreement is called the lifeline of Pakistani agriculture, but in the year 2025, it faces a big crisis. Last year, after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, India suspended the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), which stopped data-sharing at the river level. This impacts Pakistan’s ability to manage its dams, especially due to acute water shortage in Tarbela and Mangla reservoirs.
Punjab, the hub of Pakistani agriculture, is facing severe water shortage during the Kharif (summer) crop season due to poor dam management. The irrigation system here has kind of broken down. Due to the sourness of the agreement, the flow of water from the Indus river system has decreased by about 20 percent. Pakistan’s low water storage (about 30 days) makes it vulnerable, and a lack of data hinders forecasting floods during high-flow seasons. All these problems have ruined Pakistan’s wheat production and millions of people are trapped in the crisis of starvation.
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