ISLAMABAD: Wheat cultivation during Rabi 2021-22 is expected to gain momentum in these areas, Owing to the timely rainfall across rainfed regions in the country, which would supplement the overall target set for grain sowing during the season

Dr. Imtiaz Ali Gopang, Food Security Commissioner said, the rainfed areas under wheat cultivation cover 10% of the total and the rains before the start of the sowing season have provided sufficient moisture for preparing the land to cultivate wheat on time. He said that currently the atmosphere for the wheat sowing was favorable and it was expected that targets set for the current sowing season would also be achieved that would have also a positive impact on overall output.

He remarked, the government is taking other measures as well to provide incentives to local farmers, including the availability of certified seeds, subsidized fertilizers, and other inputs to encourage them not only to achieve production targets but also to maintain food safety and security in the country. He added the government is intended to announce the minimum support price of wheat for the crops season 2021-22 before starting the sowing season of the crop for bringing the maximum area under cultivation and encourage the farmers by ensuring the proper rate of their produce.

Ministry of National Food Security and Research will submit the proposal for fixing minimum wheat support price in the next meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet for approval, he said adding that the ministry had sent a proposal to the commerce ministry and also to finance for their comments.

Meanwhile, he said that sufficient wheat stocks of over 5.776 million tons were available for local consumptions, adding that about 1.477 million tons had been released so far to maintain the demand and supply of the commodity. Additionally, he said that the private sector in four provinces has so far procured over 3 million metric tons of wheat.