Writeup Wheat

WHEAT CROP: AN OVERVIEW IN PAKISTAN
By
Sidra Khan
Agriculture sector accounts for 21% of Pakistan’s GDP. Wheat is the major crop of Pakistan.
Other major crops include cotton, sugarcane, rice and maize which comprises 31.9% of
agricultural value added and registered a growth of 3.2 % in fiscal year 2011-12. Wheat has been
the most important staple crop of Pakistan since 1960’s and considered the major contributor to
GDP. But the situation has turned out different recently as Cotton, sugarcane and rice took the
place of good performing crops and pushed the wheat to the lower ranking.
Being a major staple crop, Pakistan’s population derives 40 to 45% of nutrition from wheat. Wheat is
considered an essential part of meal from ordinary households to rich families.
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Glimpse of wheat production of major wheat producing countries and of Pakistan:
United States of America is the major wheat producing country. Its wheat production increased from
33,539 kilogram in 1961 to 75,806 KGs in 1981. After this peak level, production of wheat decreased
sharply and reached to 54,413 KGs in 2011. Some very sharp ups and downs were observed in the
production of wheat in USA.
Australia, France and United Kingdom performed modestly during the time period. Wheat production in
Australia rose from 6,727 KGs in1961 to 27,410 in 2011. While France and United Kingdom reached
from 9,574 KGs and 2,614 KGs to 38,037 KGs and 15,257 KGs respectively in 2011.
Picture in Pakistan and its neighboring countries China and India is also noticeable. Specially,
China showed remarkable performance. Its production has been boosted from 14,294 KGs to
117,410 KGs in 2011. Wheat production of India increased consistently from 10,997 KGs in
1961 to 86,874 KGs in 2011.
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Production of Wheat
(Kgs)
United
States of
America
Years
Australia
China
France
India
Pakistan
United
Kingdom
1961
6,727
14,294
9,574
10,997
3,814
2,614
33,539
1971
8,606
32,577
15,241
23,833
6,476
4,817
44,053
1981
16,360
59,643
23,762
36,313
11,475
8,710
75,806
1991
10,557
95,954
34,345
55,135
14,565
14,363
53,890
2001
24,299
93,873
31,540
69,681
19,024
11,580
53,000
2011
27,410
117,410
38,037
86,874
25,214
15,257
54,413
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 2012
On the other hand, Pakistan has started from the production level of 3,814 KGs in1961 and very
slowly reached to 25,214 KGs in 2011. Comparing to its neighboring countries, Pakistan could
not perform impressively in the production of wheat. There are number of reasons behind this
gradual growth of wheat which will be discussed later.
Wheat per Area
Yea
rs
1961
1971
1981
1991
2001
2011
Area Harvested (Ha)
United
United
States of
Kingdom
America
Australia
China
France
India
Pakistan
5,958,110
25,567,759
3,997,300
12,927,000
4,639,000
739,000
20,870,000
7,137,850
25,615,036
3,947,000
18,240,500
5,977,610
1,097,430
19,297,200
11,885,000
28,279,019
4,742,000
22,278,800
6,983,700
1,491,000
32,635,000
7,183,000
30,949,090
5,144,800
24,167,100
7,911,400
1,980,500
23,392,000
11,529,000
24,664,068
4,766,560
25,730,600
8,180,800
1,635,000
19,616,500
13,501,800
24,270,480
5,827,000
29,068,600
8,900,700
1,969,000
18,496,400
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 2012
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Yield (Kg/Ha)
Year
Australia
China
France
India
Pakistan
United
Kingdom
United
States of
America
1961
1,129.08
559.07
2,395.00
850.70
822.16
3,537.21
1,607.04
1971
1,205.69
1,271.81
3,861.41
1,306.57
1,083.32
4,388.95
2,282.86
1981
1,376.53
2,109.08
5,010.97
1,629.92
1,643.06
5,841.72
2,322.85
1991
1,469.78
3,100.37
6,675.60
2,281.39
1,841.01
7,252.21
2,303.78
2001
2,107.64
3,806.07
6,616.99
2,708.10
2,325.41
7,082.57
2,701.80
2011
2,030.11
4,837.58
6,527.72
2,988.59
2,832.79
7,748.60
2,941.83
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 2012
Challenges in Wheat Industry:

In Pakistan, wheat yield per hectare is very low while the cultivation area is squeezing
year by year.

Wheat yield contains weeds as a major element which is affecting the wheat production
more than the insecticides and diseases. Weeds deprive the crop plants of the nutrients,
moisture, light, CO2 and space, while many weeds also possess allelopathic effects for
crops.

Pakistani flour mills are not upto the international quality standards which therefore are
hampering the wheat production and consumption.

The problems related to post-harvest are increasing with each harvesting season. One of
them is the limited storage capacity. The storage capacity is extremely insufficient for the
bumper crops and much of the wheat has been wasted due to rain, floods, etc.

Mishandling of wheat crop after harvesting is another predicament. Great portion of crop
go wasted in transferring from fields to markets.

Procurement prices of wheat are not justified. Farmers do not find attracting incentives
for growing wheat. They are inclined more towards the other crops instead of wheat.

Procurement procedures are made too cumbersome to understand which demoralizes the
farmers to sell the crop at a lesser price.

Infrastructure facilities are underdeveloped making the access to the markets difficult.
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Irrigation problems:
Non-availability of adequate water is an influential demerit of low wheat productivity. In
Pakistan, main source of irrigation is rainfall which very unpredictable. Other sources include
canals, wells, canal wells, tube wells, canal tube wells, etc. The main source of irrigation is
through canals. Canals used to irrigate 7.89 million hectares area in 1990-91. Till 2011-12P, this
area has been squeezed to 6.40 million hectares. Similar is the case with tube wells. Total
number of Tube wells has been increased from 339,840 to 1,025,836 2006-07. Increase in the
number of tube wells has been very negligible that this number has barely reached to 1,075,073
2011-12 P. The area irrigated through tube wells has slightly increased from 2.56 million
hectares in 1990-91 to 3.92 million hectares in 2011-12P. The other major source of irrigation in
Pakistan is canal tube wells. These irrigated 5.87 million hectares in 1990-91 which has been
increased to 7.60 million hectares in 2011-12P.
Pakistan has one of the best systems of canals. But the facts show that Pakistan has not been able
to increase its irrigation sources. A very insignificant increase has been observed while in some
cases deterioration of irrigational resources has been the matter of great concern. The canals are
in very bad condition and have been losing their storage capacity gradually. This alarming
situation signals the further corrosion in the productivity of crops.
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Procurement or Support Price of Wheat:
There always has been a long debate on the settlement of support price for many crops,
especially wheat as wheat is a major growing crop of Pakistan. The heated debates have made
this issue more of a political nature. Very slow and inconsequential rise in the wheat
procurement price has been witnessed. Farmers always complain that the procurement price of
wheat is unjustified and unfair. The government does not pay handsome price for the wheat
which put the farmers in a difficult situation as they cannot meet even the basic expenses of
growing wheat.
Wheat support price has been increased from Rs. 112 per 40 kg in 1990-91 to Rs. 1050 per 40 kg
in 2011-12P. Apparently, the rise in the support price seems catchy but the view from the other
side of the picture cannot be ignored. Overall prices of goods and services have been increased
heavily. Inflation rate remained at increasing level. Price of seeds, fertilizers, agricultural
machinery and equipment which are mainly imported, prices of fuel and electricity for running
tube wells and other agricultural machineries, and above all rising cost of living undermine the
increase in the wheat support price. It is essential that wheat support price should be increased to
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the level where it fulfills not only the cost of production of wheat, but it should also be meant for
the betterment and welfare of poor farmers.
Wheat-Flour Fortification with Iron:
Iron is an essential part of diet. It is said that approximately 2 billion persons in the world have
been affecting from iron deficiency. Iron dearth can be ameliorated with the balanced
consumption of iron in the diet. Wheat is the major source of iron. Though corn and rice are also
being used heavily around the world, but wheat still stands as a major source of consumption
among rich and the poor. If wheat is fully equipped with the required nutrition, i.e., iron,
requirement of human body would automatically fulfilled without any significant effort. What
required is to have special arrangements for checking the iron input in the wheat and fulfill the
deficiency if found any. The cost of iron fortification is not more than US$ 100 billion but the its
tickle down effects can influence hundreds of millions of people.
Empowerment of Farmers:
Farmers are deprived of even their basic rights in Pakistan. If they are given their due right in
terms of ownership of the lands they are laboring on, the productivity would increase
significantly.
Removal of weeds from the crop:
A major portion of the wheat crop has been wasted due to weed. Weeds absorb much of the
nutrition from the crop and hamper the growth of the crops. If weeds would be removed from the
crop, wheat production would be increased by 15%.
Delay in the Sowing Season:
According to the environment of Pakistan, sowing for wheat should start by 15th of October and
ends till 15 November. But unfortunately, sowing of wheat gets started late in Pakistan due to
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number of reasons. It’s being sowed till the end of December. The main reason is that sugarcane
and cotton are the longer staying crops and farmers drag the harvesting for the longer period of
time in awake of getting higher prices. This phenomenon reduces the productivity of wheat.
If sowing is delayed till the 15th of November, loss in the productivity increases by 1% each day.
To overcome this problem, higher quantity of seeds is used which raises the cost of the
production of wheat. It is also recommended that late sowing variety of seeds should be
discovered which may boost the productivity of wheat.
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