Exporting Wheat and Grain from Pakistan: PASCO, the Export Surplus Window, and What Happens When the Ban Lifts

By Olympic AgenciesLast updated: 12 July 2026

Quick Answer

Pakistan's wheat exports are government-regulated: the Economic Coordination Committee determines whether an exportable surplus exists, and exports are permitted or banned based on domestic price and stock levels. When exports are allowed, the exporter needs a phytosanitary certificate from the plant protection authority, a quality certificate, and an export goods declaration through PSW. The policy can shift mid-season — an export ban can be imposed after exports have begun.

Key facts
Regulatory gate	The federal government decides whether wheat exports are permitted — this can change during the season and is announced through the Ministry of National Food Security and Research
PASCO role	The Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation maintains strategic wheat reserves and is the largest single holder of wheat stocks in the country
Export quality	Export-grade wheat must meet the buyer's specification — protein content, moisture, test weight, and freedom from pests — documented through a phytosanitary certificate and a quality analysis certificate
Main markets	Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and occasionally the Middle East and East Africa — Pakistan competes with Black Sea and Australian wheat on price
Policy risk	An export ban can be imposed during the season if domestic wheat prices rise or supply tightens — an exporter with cargo at the port when a ban is announced may be unable to ship

Pakistan is the world's eighth-largest wheat producer, harvesting roughly 26 to 28 million tonnes in a normal year from 9 million hectares. In years of surplus, Pakistan is a wheat exporter — supplying Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and East Africa with competitively priced milling wheat. In years of shortfall — the 2022 heatwave, for example, which cut the crop by several million tonnes — Pakistan becomes a wheat importer to fill the gap. The export window is not always open, and the exporter who does not check the policy status before contracting a foreign buyer risks a contract that cannot be performed. This guide explains how the wheat export policy works and what an exporter needs when the window is open.

Who controls wheat exports from Pakistan?

Wheat is a politically sensitive commodity — the price of roti is the most visible food-price indicator in the country — and the government controls exports through a multi-agency mechanism:

Ministry of National Food Security and Research assesses the domestic production, consumption, and stock position and advises whether an exportable surplus exists.
Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet decides whether to permit exports, at what volume, and under what conditions.
Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation manages the government's wheat procurement and strategic reserves and is the primary vehicle through which government-held surplus wheat is released for export when the policy permits.

The policy is not static. An export permission issued in May after a good harvest can be suspended in September if domestic prices rise. An exporter with cargo at the port when a suspension is announced is caught between a binding foreign sales contract and a domestic export ban — a position no exporter wants to be in. The mitigation is to verify the policy status immediately before committing to a buyer, and to build a force majeure clause into the sales contract that excuses non-performance if an export ban is imposed.

What documentation does a wheat export consignment need?

When the export window is open, the documentation set follows the standard agricultural export pattern with wheat-specific quality documentation:

Phytosanitary certificate from Pakistan's plant protection authority issued through the PSW LPCO module — confirming the wheat is free of quarantine pests including Khapra beetle, a globally regulated grain pest.
Quality analysis certificate from an accredited laboratory — protein content, moisture, test weight, falling number, dockage, and any buyer-specific parameters.
Certificate of origin from the relevant chamber of commerce.
Commercial invoice, packing list, and bill of lading.
Export goods declaration filed through PSW/WeBOC.

If the wheat is organic, organic certification from an accredited certification body is required, following the same framework as our EU organic export guidance. If the wheat is destined for a buyer requiring GMO-free certification — some Middle Eastern and European buyers require this for labelling purposes — the certifying laboratory must be able to issue a GMO-free analysis.

How does Pakistani wheat compete internationally?

Pakistan's wheat competes primarily on price. Pakistani wheat is typically medium-protein — suitable for flatbreads such as roti and naan, the staple products of South Asian and Middle Eastern markets — and it sells at a discount to higher-protein Australian and Canadian wheat that is destined for bread and pasta production. This positions Pakistani wheat in the market for bulk milling wheat in price-sensitive destinations — Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and East Africa — where Black Sea wheat from Russia and Ukraine is the main competitor.

The freight advantage is significant: Pakistani wheat to Afghanistan moves by road, with minimal freight cost compared with Black Sea wheat that must transit the Black Sea, the Suez Canal, and the Arabian Sea. To Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the freight distance from Karachi is shorter than from Black Sea ports, giving Pakistani wheat a delivered-cost advantage when freight rates are high.

What should a wheat exporter verify before committing to a contract?

Check the current export policy with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research — is wheat export permitted, and if so, are there volume limits, quality conditions, or PASCO-procurement requirements?
If sourcing from PASCO, confirm the release terms — price, volume, delivery point, and quality specification — and whether the exporter must lift the wheat from a PASCO storage site or whether PASCO delivers to the port.
Arrange the phytosanitary certificate and quality analysis well before the vessel booking, because both must be in hand when the export goods declaration is filed.
Include a force majeure clause in the sales contract covering export-policy change — a ban imposed after the contract is signed is a risk the exporter should not bear alone.
Arrange vessel space — bulk wheat exports are vessel-lot shipments, not containerised — and coordinate the port logistics at Port Qasim, which handles bulk grain exports.

Olympic Agencies has managed agricultural export documentation — phytosanitary certificates, quality analysis coordination, PSW export filings, and freight coordination — at Karachi Port and Port Qasim since 1982. Our freight forwarding service covers the full documentation and logistics chain for wheat and grain exports. WhatsApp us your commodity, volume, and destination and we will confirm the policy status and handle the export filing.

Exporting wheat or grain? Let us check the current export policy and handle your phytosanitary and customs documentation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is wheat export from Pakistan currently allowed?+

Pakistan's wheat export policy is decided by the federal government based on domestic production, stock levels, and prices. In years of surplus production, the Economic Coordination Committee may authorise exports, sometimes through PASCO allocating surplus stocks. In years of tight supply or high domestic prices, exports may be restricted or banned. The policy status can be checked with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, and it can change during a season. An exporter should verify the current policy before committing to a buyer — a contract signed while export is permitted but shipped after a ban is announced cannot be fulfilled.

What quality documentation does exported wheat need?+

A phytosanitary certificate from Pakistan's plant protection authority confirming the wheat is free of quarantine pests — the same PSW LPCO procedure that applies to other plant-origin exports. A quality analysis certificate from an accredited laboratory — typically testing protein content, moisture, test weight, falling number, and dockage — is expected by international buyers and is the basis for the contract price. For organic wheat, organic certification from an accredited body is required. For wheat destined for countries with specific GMO restrictions, a GMO-free certificate may be required.

Who buys Pakistani wheat?+

Afghanistan is the largest and most consistent market — Pakistani wheat flows across the Torkham and Chaman borders under the bilateral trade framework and through the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement for transshipments to Central Asia. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are the next most important markets. The Middle East and East Africa are opportunistic markets — Pakistani wheat competes with Russian, Ukrainian, and Australian wheat on price, and wins when Black Sea prices are high or Australian supply is short.

How does the export policy interact with PASCO's stock management?+

PASCO procures wheat from farmers at the government-set support price to maintain strategic reserves and stabilise domestic prices. When PASCO holds stocks in excess of the strategic reserve requirement, the government may authorise the export of surplus wheat, sometimes through PASCO directly or through private exporters who purchase from PASCO. An exporter who wants to source wheat for export should check whether PASCO is releasing stocks for export and under what terms.

Olympic Agencies

Clearing agricultural cargo - seeds, fertilizers, and machinery - at Karachi Port and Port Qasim since 1982. Members of PIFFA and the Chamber of Commerce.