Rice output target unlikely to be achieved

KARACHI - The target of rice output is unlikely to be achieved in current Kharif season of 2009-10 due to acute water shortage in the country, agriculture experts told The Nation.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has set production target of 5.949 million tons of rice from an area of 2.529 million hectares for the Kharif season 2009-10, which is over one million tons less than the production of 6.954 million from 2.962 million hectares of kharif season 2008-09.
The experts said that though government has set production target less than last year’s yielding, it is very difficult to achieve even this target due to water shortage and declining trend in prices of the commodity.
The rice sowing in the country was in full swing these days but the closure of major canals and less flow of water is resulting in delay of rice plantation in country. In comparison with other crops, the rice crop needs large quantity of water until its harvesting as much water is necessary for enhancing yield of the rice grain, experts said.
According to agriculture experts, Sindh is facing over 40 per cent water shortage which is delaying rice sowing as well as loss to growers who have completed cultivation.
Sindh Agriculture Department has set target of 0.642 million hectares area for cultivation of rice crop but according to concerned officials, so far, merely 0.248 million hectares area has been made under rice cultivation that is 39 per cent of total target for the season.
The officials attributed the overall water shortage behind the less cultivation of rice crop in Sindh.
According to officials, the rice sowing delayed due to the rotational closure of irrigation canals in Badin, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Larkana, Qambar-Shahdadkot and Kashmore-Kandhkot.
However, the recent water shortage has resulted in a fresh tug-of-war and blame game between the federating units of the country.