Total wheat production during 2005-06 has been 21.7 million tons, while a carryover stock of 2.2 million tons wheat is also there from last year's crop, Agriculture Development Commissioner, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Dr Qadir Bakhsh Baloch told Business Recorder here on Sunday.
He said that of total 21.7 million tons, 16.8 million tons wheat has been produced in Punjab, 2.9 million tons in Sindh, 1.8 million tons in NWFP and 0.7 million in Balochistan, which would be sufficient to meet the country's annual requirements.
He said that out of the 5 million tons procurement target, Punjab Food Department procured 3 million tons, Passco 1.3 million tons, and Sindh procured 0.7 million tons wheat.
Dr Baloch said that due to good wheat crop, the farmers could not get more than Rs 380 price per 40 kg in the open market as compared to government's support price of Rs 415 per 40 kg.
He said that more than 2 million tons wheat is surplus, which could be exported, but the government has not yet taken a decision in this regard. However, 10 percent duty has been imposed on import of wheat. He said that although due to shortage of water, sowing of cotton had been delayed both in Punjab and Sindh, yet it has been sown on 75 percent of the 3.2 million hectares, which is the target for this year.
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