Karachi: Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) was informed that cotton output during season 2023-24 witnessed bumper increase of 126.6 percent and crop production was provisionally estimated at 11.8 million bales as it cultivated over 2.4 million hectares.

FCA met here under chairmanship of caretaker Minister for National Food Security and Research Dr Kauser Abdullah Malik, also attended by S.M. Tanveer Minister for Agriculture Punjab and Asif Rafiq, Minister for Agriculture Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said press release.

Committee reviewed performance of Kharif crop (2023-24) and production plan for Rabi crop (2023-24), besides discussing situation of inputs during upcoming season. Committee was apprised that rice output during season grew by 12.7 percent as compared to production of same period of last year.

It was informed that rice production for 2023-24 was provisionally estimated at 8.64 million tonnes from an area of 3.35 million hectares showing an increase of 12.7 percent and 18 percent in area and production respectively over last year.

Mung bean production for 2023-24 is estimated at 143.6 thousand tonnes from an area of 198 thousand hectares showing decrease of 9.2 percent in area however, an increase of 6.4 percent in production over last year. Mash output was estimated at 5.28 thousand tonnes from an area of 7.36 thousand hectares showing an increase of 12.95 percent and 24.65 percent in area and production respectively over last year.

Chilli production during season was estimated at 1.36 thousand tonnes from an area of 122.1 thousand hectares showing an increase of 1.4 percent and 2.3 percent in area and production respectively over last year. Committee has fixed production target for Rabi crop and target for wheat production was at 32.12 million tonnes by cultivating crop on an area of 8.9 million hectares. Whereas, production targets for gram, potato, onion and tomato were fixed at 410, 6,330, 2,494 and 666 thousand tonnes respectively.

Seed availability for Rabi crop was also discussed and it was informed by DG, FSC&RD that certified seed availability for Rabi, 2023-24 will remain satisfactory. For Rabi 2023-24, IRSA Advisory Committee has anticipated shortage of water by 15 percent for Punjab and Sindh during Rabi season. Provinces are allocated 31.66 MAF of water. Prevailing weather conditions are supportive and shortage is manageable.

Metrological Department informed that overall, normal to slightly above normal precipitation is expected in most parts of country particularly over northwestern regions. However, slightly below-normal rains are likely over plains of Punjab and Sindh during month of October. It is also informed that temperature may remain above normal in most parts of country.

Published in The Daily National Courier, October, 12 2023

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