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ISLAMABAD:
The Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA), reviewed food security in the
country and set wheat target of 25 million tonnes for the year 2008-09. "The
government has enhanced Wheat Support Price and provided subsidies on
fertilizers with an aim to encourage farmers enhance per acre production,"
Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL), Nazar Muhammad Gondal
said while addressing a press conference after FCA meeting. Unveiling the
targets for Rabi crops, he said, the government has set targets for Rabi
crops including wheat, gram, potato, and onions as 25.0 million tonnes, 0.65
million tons, 6.20 million tonnes and 2 .0 million tons respectively. He
said that government has decided to launch "Grow more wheat " campaign in
order to encourage the farmers to produce more wheat for their own benefit
and for the prosperity of the country. He said that the government has
already announced Guaranteed Minimum Price (GMP) of Rs.950 per 40 kg to
encourage farmers enhance production of their crop. He said that there was
no shortage of DAP as 0.89 million stock was already available in the
country as against the consuming target of 0.61 million. Gondal further said
that federal government in the financial year 2008-09 has earmarked Rs.250
billion specifically for the agriculture loans for the farmers. He added
that under Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) five sub-committees have
been set up to promote high valued crops including kitchen items of pulses
and vegetables, livestock and fisheries and horticulture. MINFAL has also
started a special development programme for small farmers at a cost of Rs. 8
billion and also allocated Rs.18 billion for efficient use of water for
agriculture through drip and sprinkler irrigation. Gondal said that there
was a demand of 2.9 million tons of Urea for Rabi crops and the government
has made all arrangements for the availability of the required input. He
added that there was requirement of 0.82 million tons of DAP for the Rabi
crops and the government has arranged 0.990 million tons of DAP for the
crops in the season. To a question, he said that the sugarcane production
would be short of target, however, it would be more than sufficient to meet
the country's consumption. Highlighting the targets and achievements, the
federal minister said, the cotton production target was set 14.1 million
bales against which 12 million bales were achieved. Similarly 53 million
sugarcane production was achieved against the target of 56.5 million tonnes
6.54 million tonnes rice was produced against the target of 5.72 million
tonnes. The maize target was set as 3.28 million tonnes and 3.34 million was
produced during the Kharif season. |