ISLAMABAD: The agriculture sector growth target of 3.5 percent for 2019-20 was missed by around one percent and the prospects for achieving 2.8 percent target set for the current financial year are not bright, as the menace of locust infestation may compromise performance of the sector.
This was stated by senior officials in the Ministry of National Food Security and Research and Planning Commission while talking to Business Recorder here on Wednesday.
Agriculture sector registered 2.67 percent growth rate against the target of 3.5 percent set for the fiscal year 2019-20, after missing cotton and sugarcane production targets.
Cotton ginning declined by 4.61 percent due to a decrease in the production of cotton crop. During 2019-20, cotton was sown on an area of 2,527 hectares, an increase of 6.5 percent over 2018-19 area (2,373 hectares). Cotton production was estimated at around 9.178 million bales in 2019-20, which was lower by 6.9 percent over 2018-19 production of 9.861 million bales. During 2019 sugarcane production decreased by 0.4 to 66.880 million tonnes as compared to 67.174 million tonnes in 2018-19.
Official said the menace of locusts has re-emerged after more than two decades and loss of crops have been reported in various parts of the country especially in Sindh, Balochistan and some parts of Punjab.
The Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) was scheduled to meet on June 25 for fixing crops target for 2020-21, but was postponed. The Committee was likely to meet soon to fix crops targets for 2020-21, the official added.
President Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PIK) Khalid Mehmood Khokhar while talking to Business Recorder said the recent desert locust attack had affected cotton crop which was likely to affect total cotton production once again in the country. He said locust attacks had damaged cotton crop in some parts of Punjab and Sindh. The desert locust might have caused heavy damage to crops like cotton, sugarcane and rice he said, adding that locust attacks have also affected minor crops including maize, pulses and vegetables. Khokhar said Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations had issued warning of a second locust swarm attack in Pakistan in July. As such two most precious crops of the season, rice and cotton will be at huge risk, if effective measures were not taken by the government. PIK president urged the government to start massive aerial spray especially in Sindh and southern Punjab to save rice and cotton crops from the wrath of locust swarm.
A senior official of Ministry of National Food Security and Research said the ministry had written letters to all provincial governments to share data regarding exact damage caused by locust swarm in their respective province. "At this stage we do not know how much damage has been caused by the locust attack as we are still waiting for provincial governments' data," he said.
He said the government planned to spend Rs26 billion on eradication of desert locust from across the country in the locust-hit areas. Out of Rs26 billion, the provincial governments would contribute Rs12 billion, he said.
When asked about the Farmers Association's apprehensions with respect to locust attack on cotton crop, he said the provincial government had not shared anything officially in this regard. He also said mostly locust attacked non-crop areas as compared to crop areas in the country. The official said anti-locust operations had been carried out over 22.71 lakh acres and 974 teams were taking part in anti locust operation in 36 areas.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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