Major Kharif crops' production likely to decline

ABDUL RASHEED AZAD/FAZAL SHER

ISLAMABAD: The production of major Kharif crops is likely to decline due to shortage of water and non-availability of electricity in the country.

According to senior officials of the Ministry of Food Security and Research Pakistan, during the winter season important crops like paddy, cotton, sugarcane, maize, fodder and pulses were sown.

The country missed the area under crop cultivation target of rice and cotton due to shortage of water and prolonged power load-shedding, which in rural areas peaked at nearly 20 hours a day. The target area under cultivation of cotton was eight million acres, while it was sown at a little over seven million acres. Similarly, the area target of rice was six million acres which was also not achieved, official maintained.

"Two-three bags of urea are used per acre of land. If the quantity of fertilizer used is reduced by just 10 percent, the overall productivity per acre declines by about four to five percent", he added.

He said that central Punjab was major hub of paddy production which at present was facing more serious power outages and water shortages relative to other parts of the country so crop production in those areas was expected to decline by 10 percent.

"The country at present is facing unprecedented power load-shedding and in hilly areas ice has still not melted due to which farmers are unable to cultivate paddy crop on time. Sugarcane crop also requires water in huge quantities, but in this season there is neither sufficient water in canals nor monsoon rains have started yet so it is expected that production of these crops may significantly drop as well" said a senior official of the Ministry requesting anonymity.

Another major factor is expensive fertilizers, which has witnessed a 100 percent increase in price during the past two years and small farmers are not able to afford to give the required quantity of urea to their fields. In 2010 a 50 kg urea bag was available at around Rs 1,100 in the country which at present costs Rs 18,000; moreover due to gas shortage in the country four major urea plants are closed and the country is forced to import urea, which is expensive and small farmers have no ability to purchase expensive fertilizer as a result output of cotton and paddy would remain below the target.

The official said that cotton crop was sown on an area of 2.834 million hectares in 2011-12 as compared to 2.689 million hectares in 2010-11, showing an increase in sowing area by 5.4 percent. Cotton production was recorded at 13.595 million bales in 2011-12 as compared with 11.469 million bales in 2010-11, projecting an increase of 18.6 percent.

He said that paddy was sown on an area of 2.571 million hectares in 2011-12 as compared with 2.365 million hectares in 2010-11, showing an increase in sowing area of 8.7 percent. Sugarcane was sown on an area of 1.046 million hectares in 2011-12 as against 989.7 hectares in 2010-11, showing an increase in sowing area by 5.9 percent.

Giving details of the other Kharif crops, the official said Pakistan was producing about 3.25 to 3.5 million tons of maize per annum but production this year was likely to remain around three million tons, Mung production would remain at 130,000 tons against estimated target of 160,000 tons, chilies production would be 150,000 tons, potato production 2.9 million tons against the requirement of 1.7 million tons.

When contacted Ibrahim Moghal, Chairman Agri-Forum Pakistan said that due to the mismanagement of relevant authorities, the farm sector of the country was facing serious problems and would miss the Kharif crops' production target.

He said that for the last four years the farmers' community did their best to increase farm production but the government failed to facilitate them. He said that in rural areas there was no electricity, while urea and DAP like fertilizers were available but at unaffordable prices, added that area under cultivation target of sugarcane had been achieved but due to shortage of water country might miss the production target.