ISLAMABAD: Punjab has taken the lead in the wheat sowing campaign for the Rabi season 2025-26, with sowing completed on schedule and around 90 per cent of the crop achieved under early sowing, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research said on Wednesday.
The progress was reviewed during the second meeting of the National Wheat Oversight Committee, held in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain. The meeting assessed province-wise sowing progress, existing wheat stocks and the status of implementation of the interim national wheat policy.
According to the ministry, the federal government has set a wheat production target of over 30 million tonnes for the upcoming Rabi season. Officials expressed confidence that the target is achievable, citing expectations of adequate water availability in Punjab and Sindh, the country’s two main wheat-producing provinces.
Punjab has been assigned a production target of 26 million tonnes, to be cultivated over approximately 20 million acres. Sindh’s target has been set at 4.43 million tonnes, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are expected to contribute 1.71 million tonnes and 1.69 million tonnes, respectively.
The committee noted that Punjab has recorded a significant increase in the use of certified wheat seed during the current sowing season. Officials also observed a higher uptake of urea fertiliser in the province, attributed largely to improved availability and comparatively lower prices. These factors, they said, are expected to have a positive impact on yields.
You May Also Like: Centre Notifies Panel to Review AJK Refugee Seats Clause
In Sindh, wheat sowing progress was described as satisfactory, with officials reporting that sowing has already surpassed the provincial targets. In Balochistan, however, sowing remains below expectations due to insufficient rainfall in several areas. The committee was informed that the shortfall is likely to be covered if the province receives the anticipated rainfall in the coming weeks.
In KP, a substantial portion of sowing has been completed, although sowing in snowbound areas is delayed.https://t.co/RpKhaq7Co8
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) January 1, 2026
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a substantial portion of wheat sowing has been completed. However, delays have been reported in snowbound and colder regions, where sowing traditionally takes place later in the season. Despite these delays, officials expressed optimism that overall targets would be met.
The meeting also discussed the national wheat policy, which is still under consideration and has yet to be finalised despite several months of deliberations. Officials reiterated that the policy aims to ensure food security, stabilise prices and provide support to farmers while maintaining adequate national reserves.
The ministry said that, overall, wheat sowing across the country is progressing well and that targets for the Rabi 2025-26 season are expected to be achieved, provided weather conditions remain favourable in the coming weeks.
Check out our latest video:
