The country-wide rainy spell has brighten the prospects of wheat crop making its production target of 20 million tonnes achievable, besides, having positive effect on all other seasonal crops.
The officials in the food ministry believe that this week's rainy spell would add 5 to 7 percent to per acre output of all the seasonal crops, besides, improving water availability for the next season.
Rain is real blessing and its timely happening multiplies its result. Its impact increases immensely when it's the case of rain-fed (barani) areas where crop productivity is totally dependent on downpour.
According to agricultural experts, the current rainy spell would add at least one million tonnes of wheat to its total production.
The officials say that wheat production would surpass its target of 20 million tonnes.
Wheat Commissioner Qadir Bux Balooch said rain-fed areas usually add around one million tonnes of wheat to total production but this year, due to timely and long rainy spell, outcome of wheat from barani areas could be around two million tonnes.
Qadir says that for other than barani areas rains are likely to add some 5 to 7 percent in wheat production.
The region in which Pakistan falls was facing acute shortage of water due to severe drought since 2001.
It had badly hit agricultural production. The farming community being its direct dependent was hit hard.
The situation has once again for the good for Pakistan since December 2001 onward as rainy spell was coming back to normal cycle.
Met Office predicts more rains in coming weeks which would definitely bring further positive impact on agricultural production.
Qadir Balooch is confident that more rains would increase water availability for the next season and ultimately help the country get good output of all crops this year.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2004

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