National Assembly Warns Of Potato Glut Impacting Farmers

On February 23, 2026, the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research raised urgent concerns about a significant potato surplus in Pakistan, which has reached approximately 12 million metric tons this year, surpassing the usual production of 8-10 million metric tons. This has resulted in an estimated surplus of four million metric tons, leading to depressed market prices and distress sales during the peak harvest period. The committee emphasized that systemic issues such as inadequate crop planning and market forecasting are pushing farmers into financial distress. They recommended that provincial governments procure excess potatoes for cold storage to stabilize domestic prices and proposed a wheat-support-style model to ease the financial burden on farmers. Furthermore, the committee noted that while Central Asia offers an export potential of around one million metric tons, about three million metric tons may not reach external markets due to high freight costs, border constraints, and insufficient cold storage.