July 12, 2004

Pakistan's Faces 30% Wheat Shortage By 2021

Pakistan's wheat shortage will soar to 30 percent by 2021, as consumption will rise to 24.5 million tonnes against a production of 18.5 million tonnes.

Pakistan's annual wheat consumption in the 2002-03 fiscal was nearly 19 million tonnes against a production of 23.5 million tonnes.

Government projections say wheat production over the next few years will actually decline, even as the population rises.

Statistics reveal the country's population, currently at 145 million, will exceed 151 million by the end of the current year and reach 198 million in 2021.

"Though the population growth rate has decreased to 1.9 per cent per annum, the country is far from fulfilling the wheat and flour demand as the agriculture sector has not shown credible growth," The News reported Sunday.

It also pointed to State Bank of Pakistan's report that said agricultural growth would decrease 2.6 percent against last year's growth of 4.1 percent.

The report said the wheat crop was hit by unseasonal rain and a heat wave that reduced production to 19.8 million tonnes against the estimated 20 million tonnes.

"Agricultural analysts say that acute water shortages in the country would not allow the farmers to increase their area under cultivation and this would result in acute shortages of wheat in the coming future," The News said.