The ongoing monsoon rains would have a positive impact over Kharif crops production including sugarcane, rice and cotton cultivated over large areas of the country. A senior official of Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNS&R) told Business Recorder that the ongoing rains would not only have a positive impact on production of major Kharif crops, including rice, sugarcane, and maize as these crops require more water but also help to improve falling water level in reservoirs.
He further said that the current rains would also have a positive impact on paddy output but if rains continue for a long time it would have a negative impact on the crop.
Dr Khalid Abudullah of MNS&R while talking to Business Recorder concurred and said that current rains would have a positive impact on both high delta Kharif crops including sugarcane, rice and maize and low delta Kharif crops notably cotton. But he pointed out that if rains continue for long or the country receives normal rainfall it would have a negative impact on the crops as rain causes various diseases in cotton crop. The cultivation of cotton has almost been completed while rice is still continuing, he said. The Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) for Kharif season 2018-19 had fixed sugarcane production target for year 2018-19 at 68.157 million tons from an area of 1.161 million hectares; and fixed paddy production target at 7 million tons from an area of 2.8 million hectares of land. The FCA had fixed cotton production target for year 2018-19 at 14.370 million bales from an area of 2.955 million hectares.
Ghulam Rasool Director General (DG) Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) stated that the monsoon is expected to be more active in the first half - from July till mid august than during the second half. "Significant rains are expected in the first half of the monsoon and it will improve water level in reservoirs", he said.
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