Historic decline in cotton output feared

Production estimated at 6.3 million bales, down by 43.08%

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan is going to face a historic decline of 43.08% in cotton production for the year 2022-23.

A high-powered Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) was informed on Thursday that cotton production is estimated at 6.3 million bales from an area of 2.1 million hectares, reflecting a decrease of 43.08% in production over the past year. The FCA meeting for Rabi Season (2022-23) was held under the Chairmanship of the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Tariq Bashir Cheema.

The meeting included participants from the provincial agriculture departments, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), National Fertiliser Development Centre (NFDC), Pakistan Meteorological Department, Indus River System Authority and senior officers from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.

The committee reviewed the performance of the Kharif crops (2022-23) and the production plan for Rabi crops (2022-23). The committee also discussed the situation of inputs for Rabi crops (2022-23).

During the meeting, the committee was informed that sugarcane production for 2022-23 is estimated at 81.64 million tonnes from an area of 1.32 million hectares, reflecting an increase of 12.44% and 6.23% in area and production respectively over the targets fixed by FCA. Rice production for 2022-23 is estimated at 5.53 million tonnes from an area of 2.99 million hectares, showing a decrease of 2.4% and 34.51 % in area and production respectively over the FCA targets.

Similarly, maize production for 2022-23 is estimated at 9.24 million tonnes from an area of 1.61 million hectares, showing an increase of 21.02% and 28.86% in area and production respectively over the set targets. Mung bean production for 2022-23 is estimated at 183.7 thousand tonnes from an area of 213.2 thousand hectares, showing an increase of 12.58% and 2.29 % in area and production respectively over the targets.

The committee was also informed that cotton production for 2022-23 is estimated at 6.3 million bales from an area of 2.1 million hectares, reflecting a decrease of 43.08% in production over the past year. Cheema, in his opening remarks, explained that due to the heavy monsoon spell, from July to August, substantial damage was caused to the agriculture sector, especially for crops in Sindh and Balochistan. Due to this, prices of all essential food items have increased, he said.

To prevent the unavailability of essential food items in the local markets, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research along with the Ministry of Commerce took up the matter and facilitated the import of essential food items on a fast-track basis to maintain supply at reasonable prices for consumers. The rains, he informed, also affected the production of Kharif crops for 2022-23.

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The production targets of major and minor crops like wheat, mash, gram, potato, lentil, onion, tomato and chilies were discussed in the meeting. The committee also fixed the production targets for Rabi crops (2022-23) wherein, the target for wheat was fixed at 28.4 million tonnes on an area of 9.3 million hectares, and production targets for gram, potato, onion and tomato were fixed at 560, 6029, 2422 and 622 thousand tonnes respectively.

The seed availability for Rabi crops was also discussed in the house and it was informed by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department (FSC&RD) that certified seed availability for Rabi crops increased by 14% as compared to last year.

The Meteorological Department highlighted that the overall summer monsoon rainfall in 2022 was significantly above average, reflecting an increase of 175%. For the months between October – December 2022, the department forecasted rainfall below normal levels in Northern Punjab, KPK, GB and AJK, while near normal rainfall is expected in the rest of the country. In order to promote the agricultural sector, the SBP has assigned an annual agricultural credit disbursement target of Rs1,800 billion for the financial year 2022-23 to 46 institutions on a provisional basis during July-August 2022 (FY 2022-23).

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2022.

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