ISLAMABAD / KARACHI, Oct. 6 -- After a year of aligning with the federal government's decision to abandon wheat procurement at a fixed support price, both federal and provincial authorities now appear to be rethinking the policy. Sindh has formally proposed reinstating the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism for the upcoming 2025-26 wheat season, warning that unchecked market forces have already hurt farmers and triggered instability in the food sector.

In a letter dated Oct 2 to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR), Sindh Food Secretary Mohammad Bachal Rahupoto recommended setting a minimum support price "not less than" last season's Rs4,000 per 40kg. The proposal, endorsed by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah durin...