About 38 percent water short fall anticipated for Rabbi crop: Senate Committee told

ISLAMABAD, Oct 9 (APP):Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research on Wednesday was apprised by Indus River System Authority (IRSA) that about 38 percent water shortfall was anticipated for the Rabi crop season due to below normal rain fall during last monsoon season.

The committee, which met here with Senator Syed Muzafar Hussain Shah in the chair was told that the situation would be improved and short fall would be reduced by the months of November and December as rain fall was expected during these months.

Chairman IRSA briefed the meeting about the current waster situation in mega water reservoirs and difficulties and implication sowing of different cash crops during the coming season and remedial measures required for this regard.

The committee was also informed that during last Kharif season agriculture sector had faced 35-45 percent waster shortage, which had contributed in reduction in area under different crops, particularly cotton crop major cash crop of the season.

In Kharif season Sindh Province had faced 15 percent water shortage as against its allocated share, Punjab by 20 percent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 34 percent and Balochistan by 41 percent respectively.

Chairman IRSA told the meeting that water availability was recorded at 4.899 million acre feed as against the 6.896 MAF of same period of last year.

Currently water availability in mega reservoirs including Tarbela was recorded at 2.690 MAF compared 3.025 MAF of last year, Mangla 2.116 MAF as compared the 3.846 MAF and Chashma at 0.093 MAF against 0.0093 MAF, he added.

Meanwhile, Cotton Commissioner Dr Khalid Abdullah apprised the meeting that due to water issues area under cotton crop and output of the crop was drastically reduced and was estimated at 10.847 million bales as against the set targets of 14.370 million bales.

He informed the committee that more then 80 percent cotton seed was certified by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department and fake and illegal companies were de-registered, where as seed dealers were being trained for marketing of quality seed.

Dr Abdullah said that all water supply for irrigation from April-July. 2018 was 31.273 MAF against last year’s 42.191 MAF, creating a deficit of 10.92 MAF as compared the last year.

Meanwhile, the committee expressed its serious concerns over the poor performance of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council and National Agriculture Research Center and asked its chairman to submit details of the seed varieties developed there.

The meeting also expressed its annoyance over 20 frequent foreign tours of the chairman PARC to different countries and asked him to share the lessons he learn from these foreign trips and their benefits of the farming community in the country.

The senators Muhammad Ali Shah Jamot and Imamuddin Shouqeen attended the meeting, besides the senior officials of Ministry of National Food Security and Research and allied departments were also present in the meeting.