ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel was informed on Tuesday that the country had to face 1.411 million tons of net shortfall of wheat due to hindrance by the provincial governments, hoarding, smuggling, high price trend in local market, and the international wheat prices.
Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security, chaired by Senate Muzafar Hussain Shah, the officials of the concerned ministry told that 27 million tons of wheat production target for Rabi 2019-2020 could not be achieved due to production loss, and erratic weather conditions in the country.
Senator Shah directed the ministry to submit an implementation report pertaining to the committee’s some suggestions made by the panel with regard to wheat production by the next meeting.
He stressed that a wheat policy must be formulated that would include all stakeholders.
Discussing the risks faced by Pakistani agricultural exports, the committee was informed that a ban on export of rice persists in two countries, Russia and Mexico.
Ban on export had been imposed due to infestation of a consignment with Khapra Bettle.
A complete report was submitted to the committee that was forwarded to Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwalla on this, since he had taken up this issue via a letter with the ministry.
The committee discussed the wheat and cotton losses sustained due to natural calamities.
It also deliberated upon locust attacks and the risks faced by Pakistani agricultural exports.
About a point of order raised by Senator Usman Khan Kakar, regarding locust attack in Balochistan, the officials concerned informed the committee that the present locust outbreak erupted in Saudi Arabia.
In a bid to contain the locust attack, they said that Plant Protection Department had distributed knapsack sprayers and 1,000 litres of EC pesticides among farmers in Turbat and Dasht districts of Balochistan.
They said 45 agricultural officers from Balochistan Agriculture Department had also been imparted training to deal with the issue, while 12 teams had been deployed at Uthal, Pasni, Khuzdar, Panjhur, Kharan, Washuk, Kech, Gwadar, Chagghi, Nushkhi, Quetta, and Dera Bugti.
The committee was informed that the China donated 50 high efficiency air blast sprayers, of which 12 were provided to the Balochistan Agriculture Department.
Ten motorized sprayers were also donated and 835,000 hectares of land were treated for locusts in Balochistan.
Discussing the number of vehicles provided for the department, the committee was informed that the department possessed 20 vehicles.
The committee chairman Senator Muzafar Hussain Shah was of the view that every division in all four provinces must have at least three vehicles to deal with such emergencies. Spraying planes must be made available as well.
Regarding paucity of funds for the purchase of aircraft for aerial spraying, the committee directed the Ministry of National Food Security and Research that during the next budget the ministry must take appropriate steps to ensure that adequate funds were made available.
The concerns have also been voiced by the Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan that there are not enough aircrafts for aerial spray, especially at a time, when locusts hatch eggs.
The Plant Protection Department was directed to submit a report on the preparations made to tackle any future eventualities.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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