FOOD SITUATION IN PAKISTAN

Agriculture is the main stay of Pakistan’s economy. It contributes one forth to total output (GDP) about 45% of countries work force is employed in agriculture and 63% population is living in rural areas and is directly or indirectly. Linked with agriculture for their livelihood.

          

    

       Agriculture has grown at an average rate of 4.54% per annum since 1991 till date. The growth in the agriculture sector faces large fluctuation due to behavior of nature, pests attacks on crops, adulterated pesticides, water shortage, neglect of the government to the immediate solutions of farmers, problem of credit, expensive availability of electricity, poor quality of seeds etc.

          

          In spite of various bottlenecks which are being faced by farmers in Pakistan , the growth in agriculture is steadily improving. There is a now remarkable increase in food grains production and productivity. The production of cotton, sugarcane and other minor crops has also considerably increased.

Food situation:

     

    Pakistan faced food shortage right from 1947 to 1997 and imported wheat to meet the domestic   demand. However, from 1997 to 2000 the government of Pakistan succeeded in raisingproduction and meeting the food requirements from with in the country.

     The main factors responsible for improving the food situation in the country are (1) better use of seed, fertilizers, (II) multiple cropping system, (III) increasing use of modern equipments and machinery like tractors harvesters etc. (IV) improved credit facilities (V) price incentives to growers (VI) eradication of crop deseases, insects and pests (VII) more availability of irrigation water etc.

The wheat shortage in our country is mainly due to smuggling of large quantities of wheat to Afghanistan and Iran. According to one estimate, nearly 2.5 million tons of wheat is smuggle in Afghanistan alone.

      

    The government should take steps to (I) check smuggling of wheat (II) discourage late sowing of wheat (III) make provision of quality supply of fertilizer pesticides, (IV) provision of timely credit small farmers, and (V) reduction in tube well electricity rates..