MULTAN, Jan 1: The current rains will have a good impact on the wheat crop and the official production target of 20.2 million ton will be achieved.

This was stated by Wheat Commissioner Dr Qadir Bux Baloch while talking to APP by telephone.

He said due to sincere efforts put in by Federal Food Minister Haji Sikandar Hayat Bosan a timely revision of support price contributed to increase in sowing area from last year's 19.5 million acres to 20 million acres this year.

Mr Baloch said despite water scarcity in the canals the cultivated area went up adding that due to October rain and current wet spell the production of 20.2 million ton target was achievable.

He said the province-wise output target in Punjab was 16 million ton, Sindh 2.5 million ton, NWFP 1 million ton and Balochistan 0.6 million ton.

The AJK has been assigned 100,000 ton target for the first time.

He said it was assessed that the rains so far had added to 800,000 ton more to the wheat production and more rains would add even more to the output.

It was almost the third countrywide rain and would have a far-reaching impact on the crop. He said that one more wet spell in February-end or early March would render the country self-sufficient in food grain.

The wheat commissioner said this year adequate availability of fertilizers, weedicides and plentiful rains had brightened the production prospects beyond our hopes.

Last year, he said, a credit line of Rs62 billion was available for the farm sector which this year had been augmented to Rs85 billion. It may further be enhanced to Rs1 trillion. Seed supply was also up from last year's 140,000 ton to 175,000 ton this year.

Director, Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) Multan, Muhammad Islam Gill, said that due to water shortage and dry spell the standing crops were facing a tough time, so was the case with wheat.

He said in arid (rain-fed) zone the wheat crop was in desperate need of irrigation and the current spell of rains had provided a much relief to farmers in general and the nation in particular.

Mr Gill said in irrigated zone, too, the wheat crop direly required watering which the current rains had fulfilled.

He said more rains in the country with appropriate intervals would have a bumper crop like cotton and usher in an era of prosperity and abundance of food.

The rain would also have a good impact on mango trees which were undergoing flowering stage these days, he opined.-APP