ISLAMABAD: National Food Security Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema has expressed the hope that despite all odds the wheat production target of 28.4 million tonnes for 2022-23 would be achieved.

According to official statistics released by the ministry on Wednesday, the sowing of wheat has been completed on an area of over 21 million acres against the target of 22.85m acres. In Punjab, the crop has been sown on 16.48m acres.

In Sindh, the pace of sowing is slow against the target of 2.79m acres due to flood-related issues. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is also nearing completion against the target of 2.22m acres, whereas in Balochistan 0.804m acres have been brought under the crop against the target of 1.36m acres.

Counting on other measures to facilitate farmers under Kisaan Package, Mr Cheema told newsmen that loans worth Rs663.9bn were disbursed to farmers by banks in the first five months of the current fiscal year.

Mr Cheema stated that the government had ensured the availability of DAP fertiliser at subsidised rate of Rs11,250 per bag under the Kisaan Package. The government will not allow misusing the subsidy on the supply of urea fertiliser, and in this regard, provinces were being coordinated, he declared.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2022