Farm earnings useful in food security.

Byline: AHSAN NISAR

Pakistan has one of the world's most impressive agricultural systems but it has not used it well. Agriculture could become the main driver of economic growth and poverty alleviation but for that to happen policymakers at the federal level as well as in the provinces will have to appreciate the sector's potential as well devise public policies to realize it.

The agriculture sector is still the dominant sector of the economy with a profound impact on the rural economy. Its forward and backward linkages particularly with the industrial sector, give it a central place as a useful tool for the economic development of Pakistan. In the face of increasing population growth, limited possibilities of further extension of cultivated land due to lack of mechanization, increasing resource degradation and widening gap between potential and national average yield, productivity growth takes an important place to face the challenges of the future to combat food insecurity.

Despite the devastating floods of last year, the earnings of rice, wheat and sugarcane have increased significantly in the year 2022-23 as compared to the year 2021-22. Although inundation, floods and heat wave played their part, the news of increased earnings bears good omen for the growers on one hand and for the food security situation in the country on the other. Below is a tabular presentation of the major crops and their earnings:

Wheat###2021-22###2022-23###2023-24 (Projected)

Total expense###45,926###72,013###81,523

Fertilizer expense###12,000###15,200###15,100

Yield (Maund/acre)###33###33###33

Grain price (Rs/maund)###2,150###3,900###4,300

Straw price (Rs/maund)###425###450###500

Earnings (PKR/acre)###39,049###71,538###76,877

In 2022-23, wheat was sown on 21.77 million acres as compared to 22.18 million acres last year. The decline in area was mainly recorded in Sindh due to inundation and seeds availability issues. It is, however, projected that next year 23 million acres will be cultivated based on higher wheat prices and expected normal year.

Cotton###2021-22###2022-23###2023-24 (Projected)

Total expense###56,281###73,093###103,133

Fertilizer expense###10,804###16,600###18,500

Yield (Maund/acre)###20.5###15.4###20

Phutti price (Rs/maund)###6,000###8,570###8,500

Earnings (PKR)###66,719###58,885###66,867

Last year, water shortage and heat waves were the main factors for dropped area. This year, it is expected that 5.44 million acres will be harvested as...