Pakistan is likely to miss wheat production target

Pakistan is likely to miss wheat production target of 25 million tons set for the current fiscal year 2011-12 by producing not more than 23 million tons due to delay in announcement of the wheat procurement price, the lesser use of certified wheat seeds, 40 percent less use of fertilisers and shortage of water.

Well-placed sources told Business Recorder on Tuesday that Punjab was estimated to produce 19.2 million tons of wheat for 2011-12, but the province is likely to produce just 17 million tons having a shortage of 2.2 million tons than the total target for the current fiscal year.

"Also the total wheat sowing area has been decreased by one million acres in Punjab that is the main reason behind the remarkable reduction in this year's crop production," sources added.

According to the sources, the use of phosphatic fertilisers has been reduced to 40 percent in sowing of the wheat crop, while that of nitrogen, it has been minimised by 25 percent of the quantity the fertiliser was being used for the crop sowing in the last year.

"The lesser use of fertilisers in crop sowing was followed by the fact that the prices of urea fertiliser were just Rs 850-900 per 50kg bag in 2010-11, while now the price has increased to Rs 1900/50kg bag.

Similarly, DAP was being sold at Rs 600-700 per 50kg bag in 2010-11, which has now increased to Rs 4200 that is almost unaffordable for most of the wheat farmers to be used in the crop sowing", sources revealed.

They said that delay in announcement of wheat procurement price was also one of the main reasons that could attribute to the lesser production of the crop in 2011-2012.

The wheat procurement price was supposed to be announced in September, but it was delayed till December 2011, which made most of the farmers reluctant regarding the sowing of the wheat crop.

Sources explained that the acute shortage of water in canals and lesser use of tube wells due to the massive loadshedding of electricity would also contribute to a considerable reduction in the crop sowing.

Sources revealed that not only wheat, but also the gram crop would yield lesser production than the target.

"The production target of gram crop for the year 2011-12 was 700,000 tons, while the production expected was 500,000 tons.

The shortage in production would ultimately increase the prices of gram crop in the domestic market," sources explained.
source Buisness Recorder