FAO sees Pakistan's wheat crop at 24m tons

Global production expected to rise While Pakistan and India are expected to improve their wheat harvests this year.

KARACHI: The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has forecast improved wheat harvest in Pakistan in 2011 as the crop is expected to be 24 million tons, a three per cent increase over 23.3 million tons in 2010.

World wheat production in 2011 has been forecast at 676 million tons, representing a growth of 3.4 per cent compared with 2010, according to the Crop Prospects and Food Situation report for March released by FAO on its website on Wednesday. However, despite the growth, the level will still be below the bumper harvests witnessed in 2008 and 2009.

Wheat plantings in many countries have increased or are expected to increase this year in response to strong prices, while yield recoveries are forecast in areas that were affected by drought in 2010, said the report.

While Pakistan and India are expected to improve their wheat harvests this year, the harvest in China remains uncertain due to the drought situation in the North Plain. In the Central Asian Independent States, the bulk of the crop is yet to be sown but in view of the current strong prices, plantings are expected to be in line with the relatively high level of the past two years.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2011.