The government has set target to cultivate sugarcane on more than 1.241 million acres for the production of around 7.667 million tons in the upcoming season of 2024-25 for domestic consumption assisted by strategic food reserves. Moreover, wheat shall be grown on 9.712 million acres with the production of about 36.310 million metric tonnes; rice on 3.062 million acres with a production of 8.731 million metric tonnes; and maize on 1.512 million acres to produce 9.254 million tonnes as per the Annual Plan 2024-25, reported The Nation.
The Annual Plan 2024-25, in this direction, has also declared that the second major crop of the country, cotton, would be sowed on 3.118 million acres with the output target fixed at 10.873 million bales for the 2024-25 season.
For small crops, for example, it expects sowing of grams on 865.0 thousand acres for a production of 410.0 thousand tons, potatoes on 335.0 thousand acres for a production of 8,100.0 thousand tons and onions on 123.0 thousand acres for a production of 1,920.0 thousand tons. Other minor crops aimed at are lentils at 6.64 thousand hectares to produce 4.56 thousand tonnes; mung beans at 214.8 thousand hectares to yield 178.8 thousand tonnes; mash at 11.05 thousand hectares to yield 8.60 thousand tonnes.
The targets for minor crops like gram, potatoes, onions, lentils, mung beans, mash, tomatoes, and chilies are proposed on a modest scale.
The 2024-25 plan focuses on increasing crop productivity per unit area against the lower productivity level of the country in comparison to the region. Underarlo essential production targets, the major crops considered are wheat, maize, sugarcane, and cotton. Beautification of oilseed crops like canola, sunflower, rapeseed/mustard, and seed cotton are focused on the reduction of import bills. Likewise, the focus is laid on the provision of agriculture inputs like fertilizer and improved seeds for the well-being of farmers.
The initiatives obtained from the Ministry of NFS&R regarding allocation and releases shall be included accordingly. Though the food losses have attempted to be addressed since 2015, in Pakistan a holistic policy framework is still lacking.
