Wheat stock sufficient for next food year 2021-22

Wheat Review Committee informed 27.539m tons will be the estimated production

ISLAMABAD:

The Wheat Review Committee was informed on Monday that the country would not face any shortfall of the commodity in the next food year 2021-2022 due to increase in production in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

“The total wheat production was estimated at 27.33 million tons in Pakistan. It is now noted to be 27.539 million tons as the estimated production of K-P increased from 1.25 to 1.459 million tons,” the committee meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam, was informed.

Agriculture secretaries from all provinces, representatives from the provincial food departments, PASSCO managing director and senior officials of the ministry were present in the meeting.

This meeting was held between the federation and the provinces including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan four-and-a-half months before the cultivation of the wheat crop to strategically plan for the efficient production of wheat in the next food year (2021-2022).

Punjab was estimated to produce 20 million tons which was increased to 20.9 million tons.

The minister said that the track and trace system of wheat seed is essential to bring about a breakthrough in the next food year.

It was stated in the meeting that 50% of the seed requirement was certified last year and an even better figure will be expected this year.

PASSCO was also directed to transfer stock to Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and K-P to ensure continuity in the demand and supply chain.

The minister and provinces congratulated the stakeholders on the record production of wheat in the history of Pakistan.