June 11, 2003	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 10, 1424

ISLAMABAD, June 10: The federal government has set a target of 10.6 million bales for cotton and 20.5 million tons for wheat for the year 2003-04, showing a growth of 3.8 per cent and 6.6 per cent, respectively, over the current year output.

Official documents available with Dawn suggest that rice production during next year will be around 4.55 million tons against 4.48 million tons this year, up by 1.6 per cent. Of this, basmati rice production will increase by 0.3 per cent, from 2.29 million tons to 2.3 billion tons.

During the current fiscal, cotton output is estimated at 10.2 million bales (provisional) and wheat production at 19.2 million tons.

The total raw cotton exports for next year are estimated at $578 million, up by more than 11 per cent over $520 million provisional estimates of cotton exports during the current year. Similarly, cotton based manufactures exports will increase to $6.56 billion, up by more than 7 per cent over the current year estimated exports of $6.1 billion tons.

The maize production is targeted to increase to 1.8 million tons from 1.76 million tons this year, showing an increase of 2.4 per cent. Similarly, sugarcane output would increase to 52.5 million tons against 52 million tons this year, showing an increase of 0.9 per cent.

Bajra production will increase to 200,000 tons against 189,000 tons during current year, up by 5.7 per cent. Jawar production will rise by a substantial 25 per cent during the next year, from 200,000 tons to 250,000 tons.

Barley production is estimated to reach 125,000 tons against 92,000 tons this year, up by 36.3 per cent, while mustard and canola production is expected to increase to 348,000 tons against 236,000 tons, up by 47 per cent. Gram output will register a growth of 1.7 per cent from 590,000 tons during current year to 600,000 tons this year.

In the livestock sector, milk production is expected to increase by 4.3 per cent, from 27.8 million tons to 29 million tons, while meat output will increase by 7.9 per cent, from 2.1 million tons to 2.3 million tons.

Hides production is expected to increase by 2.4 per cent, from 8.2 million hides during current year to 8.4 million hides next year. Similarly, skins production is expected to increase from 40.3 million to 41.4 million skins, showing an increase of 2.8 per cent. The livestock on a whole will grow by three per cent.

On the basis of these targets, the entire agriculture sector growth has been estimated at 4.2 per cent next year, with major crops growing by 5.5 per cent and minor crops by 3.5 per cent. Similarly, fishing and forestry sector will grow by 4.5 per cent and 5.3 per cent, respectively.

Total rice exports are estimated to touch $518 million next year, up by 8 per cent over current year’s $477 million estimated exports.

Cotton yarn, cloth, readymade garments, hosiery and made-ups of cotton will be in the over $1 billion export family. Yarn exports for the first are expected to reach $1.030 billion against $961 million estimated for the current year.

Similarly, cloth exports will reach $1.465 billion against $1.367 billion during current fiscal. Readymade garments exports will increase to $1.125 billion against $1.050 billion, while hosiery exports will increase to $1.070 billion against $1 billion.

Cotton made-ups, including towels and bedwear, will be the highest foreign exchange earning cotton commodity with $1.8 billion exports against $1.7 billion during the current year.

The fish and fish preparations, leather, carpets and synthetic textile exports will together increase to $1.113 billion as against $1.060 billion during the current fiscal.