April 25, 2008

Pakistan's wheat output to fall 2 million tonnes on bad weather 

Pakistan's wheat production in the crop marketing year that started in November 2007 could fall to around 21.8 million tonnes, from 23.5 million a year-earlier because of bad weather during sowing time, the country's Farm Minister Nisar Ali Khan said Thursday (April 24, 2008).

"The shortfall in production has prompted the government to import around 1.0 million-1.5 million tonnes of wheat by February 2009," Khan told reporters after a mid-year review of the crop prospects.

He said rice production in the current year, that started in April, is expected to rise to around 5.72 million tonnes, up from 5.5 million a year-earlier.