The Punjab province likely to miss gram production target of 539,000 tons, set for this year, due to insignificant rains in Barani areas, during the months of December and January. Director General Agriculture Extension Services Punjab, Dr Anjum Ali told Business Recorder on Friday that the grams/lentils crops have been sown over an area of 2,370,000 acres of land largely in the districts of Mianwali, Khushab, Bhakkar, Layyah, Jhang and Muzaffargarh.
He said the gram crop was sown over an area of 2,400,000 acres last year, however, 30,000 acre decrease in crop this year was not that important as farmers made changes in their sowing pattern every year. More importantly, now when the crop was at a critical stage of growth, the drought conditions in the province were badly hampering healthy growth of the crops.
Dr Ali said the gram crop needed two to three good spells of rains so that these crops should receive 7 to 8mm watering to keep alive prospects of a good crop and meet the production target. Director General Meteorological Department Dr Arif Mahmood told Business Recorder that total amount of precipitation during the winter season (January-March) is expected to remain 10-20% below normal. According to Meteorological experts, the precipitation in January remained bellow normal by about 25-30%. They said that in the month of February a few good rains were expected in the second half of the month. February is expected to receive normal amount of precipitation. In March 2012, due to increased convection, localised precipitation events will occur producing about 15 to 20 percent above normal rains during the month.