ISLAMABAD: The ongoing monsoon rains so far will have a positive impact on overall agriculture sector as the rains have resulted in increasing the moisture level in soil critical for crops growth and also provided much necessary water for paddy, maize, sugarcane and fodder crops, agriculturist and government officials said.
This was stated by a senior official of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R), agriculturalists, and the representatives of the farming community while talking to Business Recorder, here on Tuesday.
However, they said that in case monsoon rains are resulting in massive floods with sweeping large swath of lands the rains could have a negative impact, adding that so far, the rains have only positive impact on farm sector. They further said that farmers are facing some serious kind of problems related to government policies which have increased cost of production manifold and this may result in negatively affecting the agriculture produce.
For the Kharif crops, the government has fixed the cotton production target at 10.8 million bales, rice production target at 8.7 million tons, sugarcane production target at 76.7 million tons, and maize production target at 9.3 million tons.
They said that the ongoing rains will have a significant positive impact on the livestock sector of the country as it will help grow abundant natural fodder to the cattle in Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar region, south Punjab like areas.
Commenting on the overall situation, Khalid Khokhar representative of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) said that Pakistan’s agriculture sector in the beginning of the Kharif season was affected by heatwave which had some negative impacts of the vegetable production as a result turnip, onion, tomatoes, potatoes and pumpkin like vegetables prices reached to Rs 200 per kg. He said that moreover, the wheat purchase controversy also had negative impact on the agriculture sector and high power tariff which ranges between Rs 55-70 per unit for the agri sector is also a serious issue.
He said that next year wheat cultivation may decline by 50 percent as a result of government’s discouraging policies especially with regard to wheat support price. He said that the tractor producers have stopped the sale of tractors in the country.
Further, due to rains, standing crops of paddy, maize, sugarcane and fruits, positively impacting yield and quality of the crops are likely to help increase overall agriculture production. If monsoon rains are not affecting standing crops it will significantly help increase agri-growth, Ibrahim Mughal, Chairman Pakistan AgriForum said. He further said current wet spell will also positively impact on dry fruit products like walnuts, almonds and others in the country.
Commenting on the ongoing rainfall, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) Chairman Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali said the rains can have both negative and positive impacts on Kharif crops including paddy, cotton, fruit orchards, fodder and vegetable farms, saying if rains did not swept away the farm lands it will have a positive impact and if resulted in massive flooding it will have negative implications.
However, he said that the rains are instrumental for maize, sugarcane, paddy and fodder in both rain-fed and arid regions to achieve higher yields during the season. He said that over the years, maize production has witnessed a notable increase in the country.
According to Dr Ali, the livestock sector of the country will also be benefited from the current countrywide rains spell as it will help grow natural fodder in hilly areas especially of Balochistan, Potohar region.
Moreover, the rains will also help livestock and farming in Southern Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan where livestock are a major part of the agriculture sector as rains will help grow grass in the plains-critical for livestock’s survival.
Dr Ali said the availability of sufficient content of moisture will bolster the seed germination to produce healthy plants, ultimately leading to an increase in maize output for the season.
“These rains will be beneficial for paddy and cotton, the most important crops of the season.”
He said that rains will also have a positive impact on sugarcane crops, adding that a similar amount of rain at the end of February will also greatly benefit the overall agriculture output.
The rains are anticipated to have a positive impact on maize and vegetable output in the Potohar region and other rain-fed areas across the country, he said, adding that a considerable number of small-scale farmers engage in cultivating various minor crops and seasonal vegetables in these regions.
However, the agriculturalists and farming community were unanimous on the ever increasing agriculture input costs, saying that high fertiliser, diesel, pesticides, tractor, transportation, seed, insufficient storage facilities and electricity costs are hampering agriculture sector.
They said that urea fertiliser was available at Rs4,600 per 50kg bag in market, DAP fertiliser was being sold at Rs13,000 per 50kg bag, saying that the urea and DAP fertiliser prices mustnot be more than Rs3,500 and Rs10,000 per 50kg bag.
They emphasised the critical link between weather patterns and agricultural outcomes and pointed out that the delayed snowfall in 2023-24 resulted in heatwave in March-April.
They warned that if climate change leads to heavy monsoon showers and subsequent floods, it could wreak havoc on crops, as was witnessed in 2022 when Pakistan incurred substantial losses in the agriculture sector due to abnormal rains, particularly in Sindh.
Moreover, the intrusion of cold weather into the summer months could adversely affect the production of mangoes and dates as well.
Any adverse impact on agricultural production due to climate change would directly affect markets, as the purchasing power of citizens would decline sharply.
Notably, agriculture accounts for nearly 44 percent of rural employment, implying that any setback in the agri sector would lead to a surge in rural unemployment and sluggish urban markets.
They emphasised the urgent need for Pakistan to adapt to the realities of climate change and implement smart agricultural practices.
This entails aligning crops, varieties, and water management strategies with the rapidly shifting climatic patterns.
He stressed the necessity for increased investment in research to tackle these challenges effectively.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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