March 31, 2006

Foul weather affects wheat production in Punjab

Wheat production in Punjab is expected to fall by a few hundred thousand tonnes due to bad weather conditions in February and early March.

Although the Directorate of Agriculture expects wheat in February to reach 1.46 million tonnes, the early onset of summer and scant rainfall in February has upset the calculations.

Agriculture Director BS Sidhu said the Agriculture Department expects wheat production to reach around 1.45 million tonnes, adding that unpredictable weather has continued in Punjab in the past few days.

He said production is still dependent on the temperature and rain pattern in the coming days.