Over 7.886 million metric tons of wheat stocks were available for local consumption as well as for keeping strategic reserves in order to maintain smooth demand and supply to ensure the supply of flour at affordable prices across the country. The carry-forward stocks of the grains in the country by September 25, 2023, were recorded at 1.610 million tons as compared to the stocks of the same period of last year, said Food Security Commissioner in the Ministry of National Food Security and Research Imtiaz Ali Gopang. Talking to APP here on Tuesday he said that the government had also procured about 5.889 million metric tons of wheat during the wheat procurement campaign to fulfil the local requirements as well as keep the strategic reserves in the country. Meanwhile, the government has also imported about 375,589 metric tons of wheat during 2022, he said adding that so far the government has released 830,046 metric tons to local millers for producing flour and other products to tackle the local requirements. The Food Security Commissioner further informed that besides the public sector, the private sector has also procured over 4.068 metric tons of wheat and out of the total stocks about 3.206 million was grinded and supplied to local markets for the provision of flour to local consumers. Imtiaz Gopan said that currently, about 683,977 metric tons of wheat was also available with the private sector which would also help in strengthening the local commodity reserves and maintain demand and supply. It is worth mentioning here that wheat output targets were fixed at 28.37 million tons during the last season, whereas over 28.18 million metric tons were harvested during the period under review.