Wheat Cultivation To Get Momentum In Rainfed Areas

Owing to the timely rain fall across rainfed areas in the country, wheat cultivation during Rabi 2021-22 is anticipated to gain momentum in these areas, which would supplement the overall targets set for grain sowing during the season

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Oct, 2021 ) :Owing to the timely rain fall across rainfed areas in the country, wheat cultivation during Rabi 2021-22 is anticipated to gain momentum in these areas, which would supplement the overall targets set for grain sowing during the season.

Rainfed area under wheat cultivation cover 10% of the total and the rains prior to start of the sowing season have provided sufficient moisture for preparing land to cultivate wheat on time, said Food Security Commissioner Dr Imtiaz Ali Gopang.

Talking to APP here on Wednesday, he said that currently the atmosphere for sowing the wheat crop was favorable and it was expected that targets set for current sowing season would also be achieved that would have also positive impact on overall output.

Besides, the government is also taking other measures as well to provide incentives to local farmers including availability of certified seeds, subsidized fertilizers and other inputs to encourage them not only to achieve production targets but surpass it to maintain food safety and security in the country, he remarked.

In this regard,the government is intended to announce minimum support price of wheat for the crops season 2021-22 prior to starting sowing season of the crop for bringing maximum area under cultivation and encourage the farmers by ensuring proper rate of their produce, he added.

Ministry of National Food Security and Research will submit the proposal for fixing minimum wheat support price in the next meeting of Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet for approval, he said adding that the ministry had sent a proposal to the commerce ministry and also to finance for their comments.

Meanwhile, he said that sufficient wheat stocks of over 5.776 million tons were available for local consumptions, adding that about 1.477 million tons had been released so far to maintain demand and supply of the commodity.

By October 27, the public sector has released 826,297 metric tons to local flour mills, he said adding that Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had started their releases from September 24, 2021.

Additionally, he said that private sector in four provinces has so far procured over 3 million metric tons of wheat. After grinding a quantity of 838,612 metric tons is still in balance.