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Agri
sector shows good performance
Junejo says no need of importing sugar during current year
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Khair
Muhammad Junejo on Thursday said that cotton crop registered a
production of 10.06 million bales surpassing its targets while
wheat production during the current season is projected at
19.2 million tones.
While briefing the newsmen about the decisions taken by 76th
bi-annual meeting of Federal Committee on Agriculture (FAC)
the minister said agriculture sector shows significant
performance during the last six months despite severe water
shortage.
He said Rabi crops suffered irrigation shortage from 38 per
cent to 53 per cent as compared to the normal requirements
while the availability of water remained 62 per cent to 47 per
cent during the said period. The overall water shortage
remained 41 per cent during the period, he added.
Junejo said wheat crop was sown on an area of 8259.2 thousand
hectares against the target of 8410 thousand hectares thus
showing a shortfall of 1.8 per cent over the last year.
However, despite water shortage, the agriculture minister
said, the wheat corp is in good condition and it is expected
to register a production of 19.2 million tones. With carry
over stock of 3.5 million tones the total production of wheat
will be about 22.7 million tones against annual requirements
of 21 million tones after keeping one million tones for
strategic reserves.
He said cotton crop registered a production of 10.240 million
bales surpassing its target of 8.66 million bales. The crop
was sown over an area of 3.123 million hectares. Junejo said
the sugarcane registered a production of 49.207 thousand tons
showing an increase of 12 per cent over the last year when it
recorded production of 43,590 thousand tons. The sugarcane
production during the year 2001-02 has been estimated to
49,207 thousand tones out of an area of 1037 thousand
hectares, he added. He said there would be no need of sugar
import during next year due to better crop of the sugarcane.
He said the total production of rice on country level is short
by 22 per cent and area by 14 per cent as compared to the last
year. The shortfall is attributed to shortage of water and
government policy to improve quality and to shift to low delta
crop like cotton. However, the target of rice production is
estimated to 4 million tons during next season.
The irrigation department, he said, expressed the apprehension
that the water shortage will continue and there is no chance
of significant improvement despite snowfall on hilly areas
this year. According to Met Office predictions, he said, La
Nino phenomena is affecting the normal rainfall causing
shortage of water. So that less rainfall is expected to take
place during next monsoon season.
Replying to a question, the agriculture minister said, the
production of pulses particularly Moong and Masoor have also
increased due to introduction of new varieties by the
scientists. He said government is also paying proper attention
to enhance production of tea and edible oil to save costly
national exchequer being spent on the import of these
commodities.
Courtesy The News March
22, 2002
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Pakissan.com;
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