Government Incentives Drive 7.5% Surge in Wheat Sowing for Rabi Season

Thanks to government incentives, wheat cultivation in the country has witnessed a notable 7.5% increase during the ongoing Rabi season of 2023-24 compared to the corresponding period last year, as reported by the APP.

Over the review period, wheat sowing has successfully covered 23.69 million acres, surpassing the set target of 22.22 million acres, according to Imtiaz Ali Gopang, Food Security Commissioner in the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.

To meet local staple food demands and maintain strategic reserves, the wheat crop has been sown across various regions totaling 23.69 million acres during this season. The cultivation targets set for this period have been exceeded by 107%, with significant contributions from the major grain-producing provinces of Sindh and Punjab.

The aftermath of flooding in Sindh played a role in the surge, as adequate moisture in fields and a shift from oilseed to wheat crop for better returns motivated farmers. Meanwhile, Punjab, responsible for 76% of total wheat sowing, achieved 109% against its targets through a well-coordinated cultivation campaign.

Wheat sowing momentum spread across the country's wheat-producing regions, with Punjab completing 103.09% of its target. The province, being the largest wheat producer, accomplished sowing over 16.48 million acres compared to the set target of 15.99 million acres.

Sindh Province achieved 106.66% of its targets, cultivating 3.16 million acres against the set target of 2.97 million acres. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also met its wheat sowing targets with 100% completion over 1.93 million acres during the current season.

Baluchistan Province, according to the Provincial Crop Reporting Services, successfully achieved 100% of its wheat sowing targets, cultivating 1.93 million acres compared to the assigned task of 1.33 million acres for the season.

However, the Food Security Commissioner warned that crop productivity in rain-fed areas, especially in the Pothar region and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan, might be affected due to prolonged dry weather. Despite this, it is anticipated that carry-forward stocks of over 300,000 tons will be available upon the arrival of new crops in local markets, reinforcing strategic reserves and ensuring a smooth demand-supply balance in open markets.