Agriculture experts hoped that the snowmelt from the heavy snowfall is also expected to ensure good water availability in the subsequent Kharif FY06 season. There will probably be no water shortage in Punjab and Sindh during early Kharif FY06, they added. According to an official survey, the aggregate canal water shortage for Sindh and the Punjab during the Rabi FY05 season had initially been estimated at a crop threatening 47.0 percent of normal requirements, raising concerns that the FY05 agri-growth target could be missed by a wide margin.
Fortunately, the unexpectedly heavy (and timely) winter rains and snowfall substantially alleviated this risk. Not only did the precipitation improve water availability prospects, the timings of the rains probably also allowed farmers to increase areas under cultivation, particularly in rain-fed areas. In fact, as a result of the rains by end-January 2005 the water balance for the remaining period of Rabi FY05 ie, February-March FY05 has significantly increased with a 54.2 percent and 67.1 percent increase in the water balances for Punjab and Sindh respectively from the pre-rainfall levels.
Moreover, the snowmelt from the heavy snowfall is also expected to ensure good water availability in the subsequent Kharif FY06, season. There will probably be no water shortage during early Kharif FY06, as compared with a water shortage of 11.9 percent during Kharif FY05.
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