Sindh CM advises centre to ban export of food items

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has urged the federal government to impose a ban on the export of food items, such as wheat, rice and pulses under the food security plan to avoid facing a “serious” situation.

He made the suggestion while taking part in Prime Minister Imran Khan’s coordination committee meeting on video link on Monday.

The CM said the ban the wheat being harvested these days might be surplus, but the local requirement of the current year and of the next crop year must be addressed before taking any decision.

What will happen in the next crop year can not be guessed now, so we must start our emergency preparations, he said.

Shah said the shortage of food-related items could not be ruled out, if exports were allowed. “In such a situation, importing would be costlier than the benefits of exporting,” he said, adding that we have to rely on our own resources in this critical time to ensure food security.