Wheat output likely to touch 22 million tonnes

Following improved water availability, enhanced use of urea and appropriate rainfalls in the country during the last two months, the wheat production is expected to touch 22 million tonnes target set for 2005-06.
Sindh province has already started harvesting and initial reports indicate good prospects and significant wheat production. The harvesting in Punjab province will get under way in April.
According to official source, the wheat crop has been sown over an area of 8,310 thousand hectares as against the target of 8,415 thousand hectares all over the country.
It was sown over 6,379 thousand hectares in Punjab, 887 thousand hectares in Sindh, 767 thousand hectares in NWFP and 345,000 hectares in Balochistan.
Last year the government set wheat procurement target of 5.3 million tonnes to facilitate the growers to obtain reasonable price of their produce.
However, due to better climatic conditions with sufficient rains and use of proper fertiliser during the season, the wheat production increased to 21.6 million tonnes surpassing the set target of 19.75 million tonnes for the year.
There is no ban on transportation of wheat across the country, enabling the growers to dispose of their stocks and earn suitable price of their produce.