September 22, 2007	Saturday	Ramazan 09, 1428

HYDERABAD, Sept 21: Where the bumper crop produced by Sindh has gone?

The question is on everyone’s lips even the producers’ have no answer.

The final estimates of wheat crop of Sindh province for 2006-07, according to an official report a copy of which has been obtained by Dawn, was assessed at 3,409,149 metric tons grown on 982,224 hectares.

This shows an increased of 5.25 per cent in area and 23.95 per cent in production when compared to the last year.

Last year’s wheat production was recorded at 2,750,351 tons according to the report.

The reasons for increase in production have been cited as increase in the area under cultivation, subsidy announced by the government on phosphatic fertilizers, availability of irrigation water and prolonged winter season especially at the milky stage which increased per acre yield.

According to the break-up, Khairpur produced 407,036 tons, Ghotki 319,387 tons, Sukkur 164,813 tons, Naushahro Feroze 396,755 tons, Nawabshah 292,346 tons, Jacobabad 42,484 tons, Kashmore 105,537 tons, Shikarpur 97,966 tons, Larkana 125,526 tons, Qambar Shahdadkot 97,761, Sanghar 449,510 tons, Tharparkar 5,754 tons, Mirpurkhas 205,596 tons, Umerkot 126,693 tons, Dadu 112,880 tons, Jamshoro 84,880, Hyderabad 37,042 tons, Matiari 119,446 tons, Tando Allahyar 85,003 tons, Tando Mohammad Khan 23,721 tons, Badin 76,770 tons, Thatta 31,847 tons and Karachi 396 tons.

A source, however, said that these were inflated figures and added that in fact the total production was not more than 2,500,000 tons.

Meanwhile, the president of the Hyderabad Atta Chakki Owners Welfare Association, Haji Nawab Ali has repeated his offer to sell wheat flour at the rate of Rs15 per kg to the consumers provided the food department Sindh increased the wheat quota of the chakkis from 54 bags per week per unit to 100 bags per week.

He said he had issued instructions to all chakki owners to sell the flour at the rate of Rs16 per kg at least during Ramazan.

Mr Nawab Ali, however, reiterated his offer for reducing the flour price by one rupee per kg if the weekly quota of the Chakki owners was increased to 100 bags per week per unit.