Pakistan Wheat Production Remains High

Avatar for Matt Hopkins By Scott C. Lucas|15 March 2006

Pakistan’s 2006/07 wheat production is forecast at 21 million metric tons (MMT), a slight decrease from 2005/06 record production of 21.6 MMT, but still far above recent averages, reports the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service (USDA-FAS).

An increase in fertilizer usage and herbicides, improved management practices, and the availability of water for irrigation are contributing to the positive yields, while the dry spell during the early growing season and the rise in temperature during February are expected to lower production slightly below last year — though still the second largest crop harvest on record.

Use of urea and DAP fertilizer will increase 10% and 4% respectively over the corresponding amounts used last year.