March, 29 2005	Tuesday	18 Safar 1426

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ISLAMABAD, March 28: The government is expecting to reap a wheat harvest of 21.5 million tons this season – 1.3 million tons higher than its target of 20.2 million tons – despite damage done to the standing crops by the recent wet spell, it is learnt. The recent rain and hailstorms have started negatively affecting both the standing wheat crop and its production. The crop is in the harvesting stage and some wastage cannot be avoided at any rate because of rain, sources told Dawn.

The wheat grain is likely to be infested owing to higher moisture content caused by rainfall and would have to be specifically processed to avoid losses at the storage and transportation stages, they said.

The overall production would touch 21.5 million tons mark owing to “very timely” rain throughout the country and higher-than-targeted area under cultivation, the sources said. “This will contribute significantly to high GDP growth rate during the current fiscal year.”

The Federal Committee on Agriculture had fixed the wheat area and production targets at 8.290 million hectares and 20.2 million tons, respectively, for the current season. The yield was estimated to be around 2,437kg per hectare.

The area under cultivation in Punjab is 6.3 million hectares which is 1.4 per cent higher than last year’s sowing and 0.7 per cent higher than the target. The crop condition in the province is satisfactory except in a few selected areas. In barani areas, the crop condition has improved due to the January-February rain but those of March have affected crops in some parts.

The area sown in Sindh is 882 thousand hectares, which is 3.5 per cent higher than last year’s sowing. The crop condition is satisfactory except in Larkana, Sukkur and adjoining areas where recent rain have caused damage to the crops, the sources said.

The wheat area sown in the NWFP is 764 thousand hectares, which is 1.3 per cent less than last year’s sowing and 0.8 per cent lower than current year’s target. The crop in the province is satisfactory as 60 per cent of wheat area falls in barani areas.

The wheat area sown in Balochistan is 293 thousand hectares which is 0.3 per cent less than last year’s sowing and about 14 per cent lower than the target. The crop condition, however, is satisfactory.

The wheat area sown in Azad Kashmir is 93 thousand, which is about seven per cent lower than the target but about 16.3 per cent higher than last year’s.

The government claims that the increase in wheat production is a result of increase in support price from Rs350 to Rs400 per 40kg, better water management and directive to the Punjab government to ensure free movement of wheat seed to other areas.