Pakistan looks set to harvest bumper wheat crop

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will harvest bumper wheat crop this year though winter rains partially damaged the standing crops in wheat producing belts mainly in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, food minister said on Tuesday.
“Though untimely rainfalls have created issues at some places, yet I am confident that the wheat output target will be achieved,” said Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research. The Federal Committee on Agriculture targeted 26 million tons wheat production in the crop year to March 2015. The country harvested 25.29 million tons of wheat in the last season. Pakistani farmers grow only one wheat crop a year. Planting starts in October, with harvests from March. Wheat acreage hovers between 8.5 million and 9.0 million hectares. The minister said the crop has to now been unscathed apart from some minor damage caused by hailstorm during the winter rains.
Bosan, addressing the 38th meeting of the board of governors of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), highlighted the importance of rainwater conservation, saying the saved water can be utilised for the crops cultivation.
“After the green, white revolution is the focus of attention. Scientists will have to come forward to make it possible,” he said. Ministry secretary Seerat Asghar advised a national conference to encourage privates sector to invest in agriculture sector, which will not only be beneficial for them but for the entire country. “Businessmen are not aware of the actual potential of agriculture sector, and if educated, they will definitely invest in this sector,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of improving standard of agriculture machinery, Asghar warned the local manufacturers that if they did not improve their products’ standards the government would be requested to allow import of such machinery.
Chairman PARC Dr Iftikhar Ahmad informed the board members about the recent research activities undertaken by the council for the development of agriculture sector.
The board approved the minutes of the 37th meeting of the board. An approval in principle was granted to revival of the projects started in collaboration with the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir for the promotion of tea cultivation in that region. The board also approved “Scientist of the Year” award for the best performing scientists and “Technology Award” for those introducing new technologies. The board was given detailed presentation over the tea cultivation in the country aimed at saving billions of rupees the country spent on imports.
It was informed that the green tea cultivation had been very successful. However, the scientists are still working to improve the quality and taste of black tea. Founding Chairman PARC Dr Amir Muhammed, President Sindh Abadgar Board Abdul Majeed Nizamani, Mutabiat Shah from Gilgit Baltistan, Chief Food and Agriculture Planning Commission Dr Amir Irshad and Javed Saleem from Vehari attended the meeting. Secretary PARC Dr Munir Ahmed, members Dr Nadeem Amjad, Dr Shahid Masood, Dr Shahid Rafiq, Dr Zafar Hassan, Dr M Munir Guraya and Dr Umar Farooq, Director General National Agriculture Research Centre Dr Muhammad Azeem Khan, DG Planning and Development Division Ahmed Buksh Mehar and other officials of the council were also present on the occasion.