According to Provincial Crop Reporting Services, the wheat crop had been planted on more than 21.04 million acres by January 2, 2023, compared to the target of 22.85 million acres.
Over 92.08 percent of the country’s wheat sowing target for seasons 2022–23, to produce approximately 28.4 million tonnes of grain to meet domestic requirements and maintain strategic reserves, has been met.
According to the Provincial Crop Reporting Services, the wheat crop had been planted on more than 21.04 million acres by January 2, 2023, compared to the target of 22.85 million acres.
Imtiaz Ali Gopang, Food Security Commissioner in the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, stated on Monday that wheat sowing target set for the current season were expected to be met as standing water from catastrophic floods and torrential rains receded from Sindh’s arable areas, allowing farmers to sow the crop.
Furthermore, he stated that in some areas, the sugarcane crop had not been fully harvested and that fields were occupied by the mature crop, adding that due to the start of the sugarcane crushing season, these lands were now ready for sowing.
Gopang stated that the final wheat sowing data would be compiled by the middle of this month (January) and would depict the true picture, adding that the area under wheat sowing would increase further due to timely rains in rain-fed areas of the country.
Aside from all other factors, the government had also provided incentives and assistance to growers, particularly farmers in the worst-affected areas, to ensure timely crop sowing and had earmarked Rs 1,819 billion under the Prime Minister Kissan Package, he said.
Agriculture loans totaling Rs 663.9 billion were made available in November 2022, with the loan disbursement expected to exceed Rs 800 billion by the end of the month, according to Imtiaz.
The agriculture loan was part of Prime Minister Kissan’s Rs 1,819 billion package to revitalise Pakistan’s agriculture sector, particularly in areas affected by catastrophic floods during the monsoon season.
He stated that the package included 15 major points aimed at restoring and revitalising the country’s agriculture sector in order to ensure food safety and security, and that significant progress had been made in all areas.
According to him, the prime minister announced the package on October 31, 2022, and the cabinet accorded its approval to this effect on November 17. The prime minister was paying close attention and holding a fortnightly meeting to review the package’s progress, he assured.
Furthermore, the government has announced that it will waive off markup for farmers in flood-affected areas, according to the food security commissioner, adding that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has also issued a notification to that effect, and a 100 percent markup amounting to Rs10.62 billion will be waived off.