Pakistan is likely to lift the ban on import of wheat from India following a shortfall of grain production in the country.
"Islamabad will allow purchase of 0.1 million tonnes wheat from India to meet the country's requirements and offset the adverse impact of anticipated crisis due to less than expected production in 2003-04," local daily The Nation quoted Pakistan officials as saying.
Sensing an impending wheat crisis, the ministry for food, agriculture and livestock (Minfal) has already recommended to the economic coordination committee for the import of 0.5 million tonnes wheat, the officials said. It also recommended import of wheat from India.
The ministry took into consideration several reasons before recommending import of the grain from India. These included low rates of transportation of the commodity by train through the Wagah border and short delivery time, a Minfal official said.
Minfal's recommendation to import wheat from India is significant as Pakistan has for several years shunned import of wheat from India, saying the grain was infected.
Besides banning wheat imports from India, Pakistan also refused permission to New Delhi for transporting it to Afghanistan. India donated $100 million worth of wheat to Afghanistan last year.