LAHORE, Nov 20: The Punjab had sown wheat over 3.694 million acres, which is 24.07 per cent of its target of 15.35 million acres, by Nov 15 —- normally taken as the last date for in-time sowing.
On the other hand, according to figures of the Minfal (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Livestock), the country had sown wheat over six million acres out of a total of 20 million acres that constitutes 30 per cent of the target.
The ministry is focusing on increasing national average from the current 24 maunds per acre to 28 to 30 maunds and use of certified seed to over 20 per cent to keep wheat production at the desired level.
Farmers’ bodies in the Punjab on Thursday claimed that the figures showed that almost 70 to 75 per cent of wheat would be sown late in the country, taking toll on the final yield.
But, the Punjab Agriculture Department says that this has been a pattern and there is nothing unusual; only 3.345 million acres were sown in the corresponding period last year and this year’s figures represent 10.44 per cent improvement.
According to Kissan Board Pakistan president Sadiq Khakwani, any sowing after Nov 15 is considered late, and it negatively affects the final yield. The late-sowing toll is considered to be around 15kg per acre every day. By that benchmark, Pakistan will be losing tons of wheat on a daily basis and billion of rupees by the end of the season.
Mr Khakwani counted three factors leading to the late sowing —- delay in announcement of support price, heavy costs of inputs and late start of cane crushing season. This, he termed, is pathetic to say the least.
Ibrahim Mughal of the Kissan Board claimed that import mafia in cahoots with the federal finance ministry seem to have achieved their target of keeping the country import-dependent. No body in the government is ready to explain why it took almost two months to decide the support price. It kept support-price summary with it for eight weeks and delayed the decision beyond the reasonable limits. The delay could cost the country around 200,000 tons of wheat, which, in financial terms, means around Rs2.8 billion at the current procurement price, he said. The federal government must launch an inquiry into delay in decision-making and try to fix responsibility, he demanded.
Punjab Agriculture Secretary Arif Nadeem said that ideally major wheat sowing should have been taken place by now and attributed the delay to the late vacating of fields of cotton crop. But, it would affect the final yield as adversely as being suggested by the farmers. Historically, wheat sowing picks up after Nov 15. Last 10 years’ pattern of sowing bears testimony to the fact, he said.
The government, he said, on its part, had tried to double the quantity of graded seed from 60,000 tons last year to 130,000 tons this year. It was also trying to close the production gap between progressive and average farmers. At present, this gap is at 40 per cent —- progressive farmers manage a yield of as high as 58 maunds, and average production is as low as 24 maunds per acre. Whereas, researchers believe that production can go up to 65 maunds. The government was trying to close this gap by integrating research with extension service. It has selected two acres as model farms to convince farmers that the target is very much achievable with graded seed, balanced use of fertilisers, in-time sowing and better management. For this purpose, it has launched an integrated pest management programme. Contrary to its name, the programme is designed to improve handling of the entire farming system rather than concentrating on any one crop like cotton, wheat or rice. The government hopes to train 10 to 15 per cent farming community during the next two years and hopes to reap better results, he said.
SUPPORT PRICE: Commenting on the recent announcement of support price of Rs350 per 40kg, farmers in the Punjab maintained that it was too late.
The secretary-general of the Kissan Board Pakistan was of the view that an increase of Rs50 per 40kg represents only 16 per cent of Rs300. This increase has been given after four years. Whereas during the same period, prices of inputs have gone up from 30 to 40 per cent. A bag of DAP, which used to cost Rs600 three years back, now costs over Rs900. Price of urea bag has gone from Rs300 to Rs420 and potash from Rs490 to Rs750. Diesel price has gone up to Rs22 per litre from Rs14.60 in 1999. In these circumstances, there is hardly anything to be happy about the new price, he said.
An official of the Farmers Associates of Pakistan is of the opinion that the Punjab government had calculated the production price at Rs337 to Rs347 per 40kg. These are the official figures and must have been taken as a basis of any government calculations. But, that does not seem to be the case, he regretted.
