ISLAMABAD, Jan 16 (APP):Wheat sowing in the country during current Rabi season (2019-20) has witnessed about 1.014% increase as compared to the sowing season of the corresponding period of last season (2018-19).
Wheat which is major cash crop and a vital source of staple food had been cultivated over 8.839 million hectares of land during current sowing season as compared to the cultivation of 8.079 million hectares of same period of last year, said Food Security Commissioner in the Ministry of National Food Security and Research Dr Imtiaz Ali Gopang.
Talking to APP here on Thursday, he said that wheat sowing targets for current season had been achieved by 97.54% as it had witnessed 0.79% growth in Punjab, 5.89% in Sindh, 1.33% in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 2.26% in Balochistan.
Punjab province had achieved 99.80% of its sowing targets and cultivated the crop over 6.547 million hectares as against 6.560 million hectares, he said adding that Sindh had completed wheat cultivation over 96.96 targeted areas as wheat had been cultivated over 1.115 million hectares as against the set targets of 1.1500 million hectares.
Meanwhile, wheat crop had been cultivated over 0.760 million hectares in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as grain cultivation had completed 75.81 million hectares as against the set targets of 0.802 million hectares, he said adding that the final figures of sowing from the province would be received in next two days as it was expected that would further strengthened the crop position in the province.
This Food Security Commissioner further informed that wheat cultivation had also gained momentum in Balochistan as crop sowing increased by 2.26% as compared the last season which was a positive sing for the agriculture development and food security of the province.
In Balochistan wheat has been cultivated over 0.417 million hectares as against the set target of 0.550 million hectares during the current sowing season, he said adding that wheat was cultivated over 0.410 million hectares during season 2018-19.
Dr Imtiaz Ali further informed that
