Sowing of 97.17 percent wheat crop for the year 2018-19 has been completed on 8.583 million hectares of land against the total target of 8.833 million hectares in the country. A senior official of Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) told this to Business Recorder. Wheat sowing in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been completed, while seven percent sowing of the crop in Sindh and around 29 percent in Balochistan is remaining, he added.
Punjab and Sindh cover around 88 percent of the total area and contribute 92 percent of the total wheat production in the country. "Out of 8.583 million hectares, Punjab has completed sowing of wheat over an area of 6.564 million hectares, Sindh 1.046 million hectares, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 0.687 million hectares, and Balochistan 0.286 million hectares," official told.
The Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) has fixed wheat crop production target at 25.572 million tonnes from an area of 8.833 million hectares during Rabi 2018-19. Out of 25.572 million tonnes, Punjab will produce 19.5 million tonnes, Sindh 3.800 million tonnes, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 1.362 million tonnes and Balochistan will produce 0.900 million tonnes.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), cultivation of 2019 Rabi (mostly irrigated) wheat crop was completed in December 2018. Below average rains in October and November 2018 coupled with low irrigation water availabilities for the predominantly irrigated wheat crop have hampered planting operations. It said according to the Indus River System Authority (IRSA), as of October 2018, irrigation water supplies for the Rabi crops are estimated to be 40 percent below the previous 10 years average.
According to farmer advisory issued by Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), current weather is favourable for tillering of wheat crop, as cold night temperature prevails. The farmers should apply first irrigation to wheat crop after 20-25 days after sowing at tillering stage. Apply one bag of urea or one-and-a-half bag of calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) per hectare with first irrigation. Apply second irrigation to early sown wheat crop after 65-75 days after sowing as well as apply one bag of urea or one-and-a-half bag of calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) per hectare.
The PMD informed that a fresh westerly wave is likely to enter western parts of the country today and is likely to grip most parts of the country on Sunday. Under the influence of this weather system, widespread rains (with few moderate to isolated heavy falls) are expected in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Faisalabad and Sahiwal Divisions, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir from Sunday to Wednesday. Snowfall (moderate to heavy intensity) over hills is also expected in Malakand Division (Swat, Chitral, Kalam, Malamjabba and Upper Dir), Hazara Division, Murree and Galliyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan during the period.
Rain is expected at scattered places in Quetta, Zhob, Kalat, Makran, DI Khan, Bannu and DG Khan Divisions from Saturday (evening/night) to Sunday. Light rain is also expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Bahawalpur and Multan Divisions on Sunday.
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