ISLAMABAD, June 7: The output of six, out of 12 major crops, including cash crops like rice, cotton, witnessed a reduction during 2006-07 against last year despite higher than targeted growth in the overall agriculture sector.

It was the unexpected increase in wheat and sugarcane yields, which came to the rescue of overall production of farm sector that helped in lifting the economic growth beyond seven per cent during the current fiscal year.

The production statistics were finalised in the National Accounts Committee meeting held recently to review and finalise estimates of GDP targets.

The estimates for major crops production showed that rice was among major cash crops whose production declined by 1.96 per cent to 5.438 million tons in 2006-07 against 5.547 million tons during the same period last year while the crop’s cultivation area dipped by 1.53 per cent to 2,581,200 hectares against 2,621,400 hectares last year.

Cotton production declined by 1.24 per cent to 6.560 million tons against previous year’s production of 6.643 million tons while the area under cultivation declined by 0.29 per cent to 3,074,000 hectares against 3,103,000 hectares last year.

However, wheat production increased by 10.5 per cent to 23.520 million tons during the year 2006-07 against past year’s production of 21.27 million tons while wheat cultivation area increased by 0.54 per cent to 8,494,000 hectares from 8,447,000 hectares cultivated during the same period last year.

During the same period, sugarcane production went up by 22 per cent to 54.741 million tons against 44.665 million tons produced in the past year.

Similarly, sugarcane cultivation area increased by 13.39 per cent to 1,028,000 hectares during the year against 907,300 hectares cultivated last year.

Maize production recorded a negative growth of 4.54 per cent to 2.968 million tons against 3.109 million tons produced last year. The crop’s cultivation area also decreased by 1.53 per cent.

The yield of sesamum witnessed a negative growth of 13.39 per cent as its production declined to 0.03 million tons as against 0.35 million tons last year, while production areas also declined by 11.9 per cent to 71,300 hectares as against 82,000 hectares.The production of barley declined by 4.6 per cent to 0.083 million tons as against 0.087 million tons, while cultivation areas registered a marginal growth of 3.22 per cent to 92,800 hectares as against 89,900 hectares.

The production of mustard dipped by 13.4 per cent to 0.148 million tons as against 0.171 million tons last year. However, the growing areas of the crop increased by 16.57 per cent to 252,500 hectares as against 216,600 hectare.

Other major crops production which recorded growth included bajra whose production was up by 7.78 per cent to 0.238 million tons as against 0.220 million tons; 17.6 per cent growth in juwar as it stood at 0.179 million tons as against 0.152 million tons; gram by 75.5 per cent to 0.842 million tons as against 0.479 million tons and 11.4 per cent in tobacco as it stood at 0.125 million tons as against 0.112 million tons, respectively.