Pakistan may miss 25 million tons wheat production target by 2 million tons this year due to unfavourable weather, sources in the Ministry of Food and Agriculture told Business Recorder. They said that though Pakistan might miss the target, yet wheat production would be sufficient for local requirements as it would have more than 3.5 million tons of wheat as carryover stock.
They said that due to dry spell during the Rabi season in the Barani areas the farmers were not able to grow wheat. They said that last year Barani areas wheat production was more than 2 million tons but this year it was badly affected by the unfavourable weather conditions. Due to less wheat production in Barani areas Pakistan's total wheat output would remain around 23 million tons.
Officials are of the view that Pakistan will face no food security like situation during the upcoming season, but if in the next Kharif crop season weather situation did not improve, there could be severe problems. Sources said that due to smuggling of the commodity to Afghanistan and other countries Pakistan in the past was facing severe problems but the government had announced good wheat support price for the farmers, besides providing them better facilities at present Pakistani farmers are in a position to produce more wheat.
They said that Pakistan's local wheat consumption was around 22 million tons and this year's wheat production will be 23 million tons and at present Passco and provinces have 4.5 million tons of wheat as carryover stock up to April 15 about 1.5 million ton wheat will be consumed so 3 million tons of wheat will remain in stocks as carryover stock.
Sources said that Pakistan will have around 4 million tons extra wheat during the next season and will be in a position to export it, but in this regard final decision will be taken later.
Sources said that wheat being one of the most important crop of Pakistan needs more incentives and facilities as it was not only fulfilling local requirements but neighbouring countries like Afghanistan were solely depending on Pakistan's wheat.
When spokesman of Minfa Dr Qadir Bax was contacted by Business Recorder, he said that due to long dry spell in the Rabi season wheat crop was disturbed in Barani areas. He said that last year Barani areas' wheat production was more than 2 million tons but this year the commodity production will be around 0.8 million tons.
He said that farmers cultivated wheat in November and December and its harvesting season just has started which will continue up to June. "Harvesting has begun in the southern Sindh province while Punjab, which produces 80 percent of the total wheat, will start it in a few days" Baloch said.
About government wheat procurement target, he said that this year government will procure 7.5 million tons of wheat out of which Punjab will procure 4 million tons, Passco 1.6 million tons, Sindh 1.5 million tons, NWFP 0.3 million tons and Balochistan 0.1 million ton. The use of fertiliser halved from a year ago to 600,000 tons after prices climbed 44 percent, Baloch said. The area planted to wheat is 2 percent less than a year ago, he said.
He said that there were no financial constraints in the procurement of wheat and the government will provide all necessary facilities to Pascco and provincial wheat procurement departments to ensure timely wheat procurement. He said that the ministry was making all out effort in eliminating the role of the middleman from the wheat procurement process as to protect the farmers from exploitation of the middleman.
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