Overall condition of standing crops good: agriculture experts

Due to availability of adequate irrigation water and conducive weather conditions, the overall condition of standing crops in Punjab is good. Director General, Agriculture Extension Services Punjab Dr Anjam Ali, in a mid-July review of cotton, sugarcane and fodder crops etc, told Business Recorder here on Friday.
The rains received during the past fortnight proved beneficial for Kharif crops in northern parts of country where the crop is at early stage of development. He said that the sowing/germination of cotton crop in southern Punjab is good because of dry weather and environment in June.
He said though there is a mild attack of mealy bug, white fly and mites in the main cotton growing districts of the province yet due to dry weather in June, the sowing/germination of the cotton crop is good. The crop height, plant population and physical condition of the crop indicate that the production target of 11 million bales would be achieved, he added.
Dr Anjum said that the field staff of the agriculture extension services is vigilant and making all efforts to control these minor pest attacks and provide timely expert advice to the growers. He said that about 50 percent of the planting of rice nursery in the fields has been completed in the province and the recent rains in the central and upper Punjab have been very beneficial for the rice planting and sugarcane and fodder crops.
Meanwhile the department has advised the farmers to stock the harvested crops properly to minimise rainy weather induced losses. Agro-meteorologically significant rainfall amounting to 5 mm/day was mainly recorded in agricultural plains of central and northern Punjab like Sargodha, Lahore, and Potohar regions. However, it was below normal in Jhelum, Sasgodha, and Sialkot regions.
Agriculture experts say that area under sugarcane plantation is less than last year. Overall condition of grain, onion and oil seed crops is reported good. Harvesting of potato crop is in progress and its yield per acre is reported to be above normal. Marketing of mangoes and other seasonal fruits is in progress. Weather induced losses due to strong winds and wetter conditions were reported in central and northern parts of country.
Ibrahim Mughal of Pakistan Agri Forum told Business Recorder that the farmers are adopting new crop patterns and migrating from wheat and cotton crops to other high priced crops and vegetables which fetch more money with less acreage under cultivation. He emphasised that the farmers used to sow wheat on maximum area as a social obligation to meet food requirements of the nation.
However due to rising cost of inputs like DAP and other fertilisers, diesel and electricity and absence of any government support price, the disheartened farmers last year cultivated wheat crop on half a million acres less than the targeted area which has resulted into a food crisis in the country.
He accused that the owners of the sugar mills and traders of food grains and cotton do not pay fair price to the growers who provide essential raw material to their agro-based industries.
He said that prices of DAP and urea fertilisers, electricity tariff, pesticides and other outputs have skyrocketed which has depressed the farmers and the agriculture sector. He said it is high time that the government should give due priority to the agriculture sector and adopt pro-agriculture growth policies to strengthen the national economy and food security in the country.