The Punjab Agriculture Department has claimed that Punjab is likely to achieve its wheat production target of 20.62 million tonnes this season.
According to a local media report, an official of the Punjab Crop Reporting expressed confidence in the aim even though climate change deprived the province of rains for two months — January and February.
The official explained that the situation is under control as the temperature remained lower retaining enough moisture for the growth of grain, while the area under the crop increased as compared with the last year. Similarly, there were no reports of yellow rust attacks on a crop from anywhere in the province.
Furthermore, an increase in minimum wheat support price from Rs1,400 to Rs1,650 and then to Rs1,800 per 40kg, when the sowing season had set in served as an added incentive to the growers to focus on the grain.
It may be noted here that the private sector will not be allowed to enter the market until the department achieves its procurement target.
Moreover, the government has already allowed the import of wheat both by the public and private sector for meeting any eventuality like heavy rains or high temperature before harvesting which may shrivel the grain.
