Rice output: ‘Production expected to reach 7m tons’

ISLAMABAD: The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) said that rice production in Pakistan was likely to reach around 7 million tons in 2013-14 because of higher than expected rabi season rice production this year. Rice is grown in Sindh, Balochistan and Southern Punjab regions during the rabi season, The Technology Times reported. Data shows the rice planting commenced in November and reached active vegetative growth stage at the end of January. The Normalised Differential Vegetative Index profiles of all provinces started to reach their peak stage due to active growth of different crops. Suparco says that the current rabi season received less rain than last season and the meteorological department forecasts considerably less rains in March based on regional models, which is likely to help rice harvest.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th, 2014.

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