Pakistan 2008 wheat output 21.8MMT, 1MMT less than consumption
ISLAMABAD -- Total grains production in Pakistan has been recorded at 31.1 million tons against its requirement of 27 million tons, said Dr Qadir Bukhsh Baloch, Agricultural Development Commissioner, while talking to Business Recorder here on Wednesday.
"The climate changes have deep effect on the production of the agricultural commodities", he said, adding that production of wheat for 2007-08 remained 21.8 million tons, rice 5.56 million tons, maize 3.31 million tons, bajra 0.31 million tons, sorghum 0.17 million tons, and barley 0.09 million tons.
He that total share of the crops in agriculture sector is 48.3 percent with 36.6 percent major crops and 11.7 percent minor crops. Forestry contributes 1 percent, livestock 49 percent and fisheries 1.1 percent, he added. He said, "We are behind the target fixed for wheat crop, but we are importing 2.5 million tons, while the private sector has been encouraged to import 1 million tons, on its own".
He said: "Our local consumption of wheat is 22.88 million tons while the production achieved is 21.8 million tons. So, we have a shortfall of almost 1 million tons, but this shortage will be bridged after import of the commodity. The crop production in Punjab remained 16.31 million tons, against its requirement of 12.50 million tons. In Sindh, it is recorded at 3.45 million tons against the consumption of 4.80 million tons. In NWFP, the production is accounted to be 1.16 against the consumption of 3.38 million tons and in Balochistan it is 0.86 million tons against 1.20 million tons of total local consumption.
"The climate changes have deep effect on the production of the agricultural commodities", he said, adding that production of wheat for 2007-08 remained 21.8 million tons, rice 5.56 million tons, maize 3.31 million tons, bajra 0.31 million tons, sorghum 0.17 million tons, and barley 0.09 million tons.
He that total share of the crops in agriculture sector is 48.3 percent with 36.6 percent major crops and 11.7 percent minor crops. Forestry contributes 1 percent, livestock 49 percent and fisheries 1.1 percent, he added. He said, "We are behind the target fixed for wheat crop, but we are importing 2.5 million tons, while the private sector has been encouraged to import 1 million tons, on its own".
He said: "Our local consumption of wheat is 22.88 million tons while the production achieved is 21.8 million tons. So, we have a shortfall of almost 1 million tons, but this shortage will be bridged after import of the commodity. The crop production in Punjab remained 16.31 million tons, against its requirement of 12.50 million tons. In Sindh, it is recorded at 3.45 million tons against the consumption of 4.80 million tons. In NWFP, the production is accounted to be 1.16 against the consumption of 3.38 million tons and in Balochistan it is 0.86 million tons against 1.20 million tons of total local consumption.
