Pakistan sees wheat crop down 2mmt in 2008
Pakistan, Asia's third biggest wheat producer after India & China, will produce around 2m tonnes less of the crop in 2008 according to it's farm ministry.
The country's output will fall to around 22mmt from 24mmt in 2007 as spiraling fertiliser costs prompted farmers there to reduce plantings they said.
Fertiliser usage halved to 600,000mt after prices jumped 44% in a year said the government.
Farmers in Pakistan sow the crop in November and December and harvest it from April to June. The country is the world's sixth-largest wheat producer.
Smugglers have worsened the supply situation, sneaking wheat into neighbouring Afghanistan where they can sell the grain for about twice what they can get in Pakistan, officials said.
The country's output will fall to around 22mmt from 24mmt in 2007 as spiraling fertiliser costs prompted farmers there to reduce plantings they said.
Fertiliser usage halved to 600,000mt after prices jumped 44% in a year said the government.
Farmers in Pakistan sow the crop in November and December and harvest it from April to June. The country is the world's sixth-largest wheat producer.
Smugglers have worsened the supply situation, sneaking wheat into neighbouring Afghanistan where they can sell the grain for about twice what they can get in Pakistan, officials said.
