By NNN-APP
Multan, Pakistan : Winter rains are likely to help the province of Punjab to exceed its wheat production target for this year, set at 18.5 million tons. This was stated by Ishaq Lashari, assistant director Punjab Agricultural Information, Multan, while talking to APP here Wednesday.
He said the crop has been cultivated on 15.8 million acres, which is 1.5 per cent less than the targeted area, adding that the shortfall may have occurred due to irrigation water scarcity and power loadshedding.
Production, however, will exceed the output target because the ongoing spell of winter showers will have a very good impact on the crop, he added.
Last year the province produced 17.85 million tons wheat which could not suffice our national needs, and the caretaker government had to import about one million tons of the golden grain to offset the scarcity.
Lashari observed that the crop is presently at the tilling and jointing stage, with the next stage due shortly, and the current winter rains will boost production, and help increase the size and weight of the grain.
Responding to a question, he said that some early-sown crop had suffered slightly due to the recent frost, but that will not affect the overall wheat yield.
“Besides the irrigated regions, wheat crop in the arid zone has also benefited substantially from the rainfall, and will help in reaping a bumper crop and attaining food autarky,” he observed.