Revealing the initial estimates of rice production target in the provinces the Ministry of Food and Agriculture claimed that the production of rice has exceeded by six percent in Punjab and nine percent in Sindh, hence the production was recorded as 3.489 million tonnes against the set target of 3.3 million tonnes in Punjab, while 2.221 million tonnes against the fixed target of 2.039 million tonnes in Sindh.
However, in NWFP the production target could not be met successfully and it showed a sharp decline of nine percent and was recorded as 0.115 million tonnes against the set target 0.126 million tonnes.
While in Balochistan the production target was also surpassed by seven percent and initial estimates showed that the production stood at 0.552 million tonnes against the target of 0.484 million tonnes.
The ministry sources also told on Saturday that the total production of rice for the outgoing Kharif season 2009-10 surpassed the production target by 7.19 percent and was recorded 6.377 million tonnes against the set target of 5.949 million tonnes.
Sources said that both the area of the cultivation and production targets for the rice had been fixed in the 90th Federal Committee on Agriculture meeting held in April 2009. In order to safeguard the growers'' interest, it was the policy of the government to announce the intervention price of rice paddy.
In view of the current situation of the rice crop 2009-10, the government had announced the intervention price of Rs 1,250 per 40 kilogram for super basmati, Rs 1,000 for Basmati-385 and Rs 600 for IRRI-6 paddy. The Passco and food departments of the provinces would be the implementing agencies for the price announced by the government if it falls below the threshold.
However, the officials said these were the initial estimates for rice production and the provinces would be asked to update the FCA meeting scheduled to be held on October 12 to determine the production target for the Rabi season including the wheat target. In the rice crop supply of basic and certified seeds had been a major constraint to get better per acre yield.
Furthermore, the sources said that provincial governments needed to take special measures to improve the availability of seeds starting a pre-basic seed production programme at their rice research institutes. Cultivation of PK 386, Supra and super fine rice that resembles basmati rice needs to be discussed to know its current status in Punjab during the coming FCA meeting. The provinces might also discuss status of hybrid rice, which was now spreading in the prime Irri-6 zone and could damage the country''s rice export, sources added.