January 20, 2009
Pakistan may meet wheat output target on good rainfalls
A ministry official said Pakistan's wheat prospects are good, despite an earlier report whereby an official said the country's wheat output may miss its target of 25 million tonnes.
Pakistan is now expected to meet its output target of 25 million tonnes after rains early this month boosted planting.
Farmers sowed 8.7 million hectares to wheat, up 0.1 million from last year, and the prospects are good for a bigger harvest, said Shakeel Admed Khan, the wheat commissioner at the farm ministry.
Higher production could help Pakistan lower its dependence on imports to meet domestic demand and build state reserves. Pakistan has imported 1.76 million tonnes of wheat since July 2008, and expects to receive another 900,000 tonnes before the new crop arrives in April.
Procurement from farmers may total 6.5 million tonnes, up 63 percent from last year, while demand may reach 23 million tonnes this year, said Khan.
On Wednesday (Jan 14), an unnamed official from the agriculture ministry said Pakistan is likely to miss its wheat output target of 25 million tonnes in the financial year to June due to a shortfall in fertiliser availability.
