Govt expects bumper wheat crop this year

LAHORE: Government representatives and farmers expect the country to harvest bumper wheat crop this year, with early harvesting due to a relatively dry season during late Rabi season.

Officials on Thursday said an estimated 26 million tons of national wheat production was expected, with Punjab on course to produce close to 20 million tons of wheat this season. There was about 18 percent less availability of irrigation water during the Rabi season, with erratic or no rains during the crucial time of sowing and grain development. Despite the challenges with water supply, there were no adverse impacts on the standing crop, the officials said.

“Owing to the relative dry period at the advance stage of crop, combined with the rising temperature from the third week of March, we are expecting wheat harvesting in Punjab province from the first week of April instead of the third week,” an official said.

As far as availability of urea is concerned, 3.253 million tons of fertiliser was available nationwide against the demand of 3.1 million tons. Similarly, DAP supply was 1.27 million tons against demand of 1.1 million tons.

The off-take of these fertilisers was at maximum during the sowing and early stages of wheat production. For example, use of urea and DAP was more than 100 percent in the months of October, November, and December.

“These trends showed the promising prospects of wheat production,” the official added. Khalid Khokhar, president, Pakistan Kissan Ittehad, hailing from Multan district, said the farmers were expecting a good yield this year, despite all odds. “Wheat harvesting may start from April 10 in the south of Punjab,” he said, and added the dry conditions and hot temperature meant early harvest.

Previously, he said wheat matured in the third or fourth week of April, which meant late harvesting for the crop. He stressed the need of up to mark wheat procurement arrangements by the government departments.

“As wheat is expected to mature in bulk in most of the southern districts, all procurement arrangements must be ready in time,” he stressed. Ibrahim Mughal, chairman, Agri Forum Pakistan, said steps should have been taken to dispose of the earlier stocks of wheat. “No practical step was taken in this regard by the department concerned,” he added.

He asked the federal and provincial governments to take immediate steps for ensuring a conducie environment, and to formulate farmer friendly policies regarding purchase of wheat.  According to the International Grains Council, global grains production in 2016/17 is expected to exceed 2.1 billion for the first time, including record harvests of wheat and maize. 

A seven percent accumulation of grains carryover stocks is forecast, to 508 million tons, including inventories in the major exporters expanding by 19 percent. The outlook for world 2017/18 wheat production remains mostly favourable, with only a small year-on-year drop anticipated.