Crop targets termed exaggerated.

KARACHI -- While reacting to the Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA)'s production estimates for different crops, grower bodies and progressive farmers have expressed concerns over the 'exaggerated' targets, rejecting claims and calling for payment of prices set by the government.

In a recent meeting held in Islamabad, the FCA projected that wheat production could hit 32.12 million tons over an area of 8.9 million hectares and it also fixed targets of minor crops including gram, potato, onion and tomato at 410, 6,330, 2,494 and 666 thousand tons respectively.

The committee said that cotton production could reach 11.5 million bales from cultivation over an area of 2.4 million hectares by the end of current season.

'We reject these figures, targets and claims being exaggerated by the government, which is just like building a castle in the air. This is a mind-numbing report. It does not depict a true picture after the mammoth floods damaged crops-cum-land while peasants were devoid of seeds and inputs including fertiliser and the likes,' said Sindh Agriculture Research Council President Ali Palh Advocate, who represents small growers.

'On top of that, 15% shortage of water is being witnessed, while small growers at tail-ends are experiencing 40% water scarcity.'

Sindh Chamber of Agriculture Senior Vice President Nabi Bux Sathio remarked that actually it was easy to devise strategies or policies without considering ground realities.

'Wheat consumption of the country touches 30 million tons and we have harvested around 28 million tons last year, registering a shortfall of 2 million tons and pushing up prices of wheat flour in the market,' he said.

'How can we get 32.12 million tons for want of three main factors - ample and timely water, best quality seeds and inputs as well as exorbitant fertiliser prices, and high fuel cost for tractors during the Rabi season, which will run from October 16 to March 15?'

Sathio pointed out that cotton output was around 4.8 million bales last year...