Govt. wheat procurement from upcoming crops set at 6.5m tons

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has set a target of wheat procurement from the upcoming crops at 6.5 million tons, which needed Rs200 billion financing.

Federal Minister for food and agriculture, Nazar Muhammad Gondal presides over the second session of Agriculture Task Force here, which was attended by Finance Advisor Shaukat Tarin, Federal Ministers, Naveed Qamar, Manzoor Watto, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Federal State Minister for economic affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar besides food ministers of all the four provinces and high officials.

Following the meeting, Federal Minister, Nazar Muhammad Gondal told a news conference that this was for the first time in the history of the country such a big target of wheat procurement has been set, which envisages Punjab procuring 3.5 million tons, Pasco 1.5 million tons, Sindh 1.2 million tons, Frontier 0.3 million tons and balochistan 0.5 million tons.

He said that the government would ensure payment to the growers at Rs950 per maund of wheat. He said that the country’s requirements stood at 2.3 million tons, while the wheat production this year was expected at 2.5 million tons, as it has been cultivated on over 6 percent more area. Nazar Muhammad Gondal said that private sector would not be allowed to import wheat.

source : jang.com.pk

Rain proves boon for wheat, other crops

LAHORE: Light but widespread rain in Punjab and upper regions will bear a God-sent salutary effect on wheat and other Rabi crops when water in the rivers and canals was scarcer than ever.

Punjab Agriculture Department's senior officials said, "It was the right time for rain to occur for Rabi crops" adding that, "Providence filled the gap as irrigation water availability was very poor." They said that the staple food crop, wheat, has been benefited in particular.

Meanwhile, the Regional Met Office has forecast that another system of clouds is on its way after a gap of nearly 24 hours. During the gap it will remain dry and cold in the three provinces of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. But NWFP and northern areas are likely to get rain and snowfall. According to report collected by various Met stations, light rain was reported from Faisalabad, Islamabad, Jhelum, Kamra, Mandi Bahauddin, Mianwali, Multan, Sahiwal, Sialkot, D G Khan, Kohat and Mangla.

Other cities, towns and stations received comparatively more rain. They include Lahore (13 mm), Muzaffarabad (9 mm), Balakot (16 mm), Chitral (13 mm), Dir (27 mm), Darosh (17 mm), Mirkhani (15 mm), Pattan (10 mm). Sindh and Balochistan however remained dry, the Met office said.

As the pall of clouds drifted during the night, minimum temperatures fell further down. In the Punjab capital the minimum temperature fell to 12 degrees. "After many years the month of February has been that cold", remarked a person sun bathing in the bright sunlight. Temperatures in northern areas remain in the range of minus one to plus two degrees Celsius.