LAHORE, Nov 19: The wheat sowing drive in the Punjab is slow mainly because of water shortage. Figures available with the agriculture department up to Nov 6 show that only 9.3 per cent of the target area has come under wheat cultivation, which is 7.65 per cent less than the corresponding period last year.

The data, according to an agriculture official, has not been updated during the last two weeks due to Eid holidays. "You'll get fresh figures in a day or two." The government has been campaigning for maximum cultivation by Nov 20, the ideal time for wheat sowing.

By Nov 6, rain-fed (barani) areas have achieved 41.29 per cent of the acreage, which is 3.39 per cent more than the corresponding period last year. The rice zone cultivated the grain only on 5.47 per cent of its target, which is 27.70 per cent less than the last year, whereas the cotton zone brought only 1.38 per cent of its area under wheat, leaving a gap of 20.20 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The department holds water shortage main reason behind the failure to achieve maximum sowing by the 20th. "This year the water shortage is almost 50 per cent compared to last year's 13 per cent."

The department hopes acceleration in sowing because of early start of cane crushing. Last year, the crushing season was delayed up to Dec 3 but it started in the first week of November this year. "Early crushing will spare land for wheat sowing."

Their optimism to hit target is also based on increase in the support price of wheat which has gone up to Rs400 per 40kg from Rs350 last year. The Rs50 increase is a healthy margin which should induce farmers to go for wheat in a big way, they maintain. "The farmers have been getting over Rs400 in open market when the support price was Rs350. Their profit margin will increase further."

The farmers, however, also blame government for a 'big failure' to achieve target. "It should have come up with a package to sow wheat in the month of November," says Ibrahim Mughul of the KBP (Kissan Board Pakistan).

The board, he said, had requested the government to come up with a package like subsidy on fertiliser and tubewells in the month of November so that farmers were made to sow wheat in November.