Wheat sowing target not achieved because of drought, high input costs

The country has missed wheat sowing target by 1.7 percent due to drought conditions and high input costs. According to an official document available with Business Recorder Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R), wheat, a major staple crop of the season which fulfills the domestic food requirements, had been cultivated over an area of 8.8 million hectares against the set targets of 9.1 million hectares.
According to the document, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Balochistan provinces have missed wheat sowing target by 22.66 percent and 5.48 percent respectively. In KPK the wheat crop was sown over an area of 0.6 million hectares against the set target of 0.76 million hectors fixed by the government. According to the document in Balochistan the crop was sown over an area of 0.36 million hectares against the target of 0.4 million hectares.
Sowing in Sindh, the second largest wheat producer after Punjab remained satisfactory as government targeted 1.2 million hectares for wheat sowing and the crop was sown over an area of 1.157 million hectares. Punjab achieved 100 percent wheat sowing target for the current season as the crop has been cultivated on over 6.677 million hectares.
The government has set wheat production target at 26.01 million tons for Rabi sowing season 2016-17 from an area of 9.1 million hectares. Out of 26.01 million tons, Punjab is projected to produce 19.51 million tons, Sindh 4.2 million tons, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 1.4 million tons and Balochistan 0.9 million tons, he told.
According to Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) a strong weather system (westerly wave) is expected to produce more rains/snowfall over the hills in the country during the coming week. The detailed forecast is:
In Balochistan rain with snow over the hills is expected at a number of places from Monday to Wednesday. Heavy snowfall is expected over the hills of Quetta, Zhob and Kalat divisions on Tuesday and Wednesday. In Sindh rain with thunderstorm is expected at scattered places of the province on Tuesday and Wednesday. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa/FATA rain with snow over the hills is expected at most of the places from Monday to Thursday. Intermittent heavy snowfall may occur over the hills of FATA, Malakand and Hazara divisions on Wednesday and Thursday. In Punjab/Islamabad rain with snow over the hills is expected at a number of places from Monday to Thursday. Intermittent heavy snowfall may occur over the hills of Murree and Galliyat from Tuesday to Thursday.
Gilgit-Baltistan/Kashmir rain with snowfall over the hills is expected at a number of places from Monday to Thursday. Intermittent heavy snowfall may occur over the hills of GB and Kashmir from Tuesday to Thursday.-PR