|
Main Page
|
 |
|
News Channel |
|
Potential and actual crop yields
April 5: The total cropped area of Pakistan was
11.07 million hectares (mha) at the time of its
inception in 1947. It increased to 22.11m ha in
2001-02-almost 100 per cent. Its population also
went up from 34.4 million to 144.4 million during
this period -an increase of 346 per cent.
This necessitates a review of the current crop
production scenario and suggest measures to
improve the situation. Table-1 shows the area,
production and the yield per hectare of major
crops in 1947 and the changes in 2003: Table -1:
Situation in 1947 Percentage in 2003
Crops Area mha production
m tons yield/ha
kg/ha area% production % yield%
Wheat 3.95 3.30 850 103 433 181
Rice (paddy) 0.78 1.81 882 136 960 127
Cotton 1.23 1.11 (mbales) 158 (lint) 127 822 293
Sugarcane 0.19 5.71 30577 479 811 55
Edible Oilseeds 0.46 0.18 453 24 128 109
Pulses 1.40 0.67 426 -143 -12 -8
Maize 0.36 0.35 988 161 397 87
Source: Agri,Sta.Pak 1960 and Economic Survey of
Pak 2002-03
With the exception of pulses which showed negative
growth trend, all major crops showed considerable
increase in the percentage of area, production and
yield. Although, the percentage increase in the
production of rice (paddy) was highest, its
increase in yield was much lower than that of
wheat and cotton. The increase in yield of cotton
was the highest followed by wheat. Again,
sugarcane showed highest increase area-wise but
its increase in yield was the lowest of all the
crops.
These increases in crop production and yields are
attributable to increase in the cropped area,
evolution of new high yielding varieties,
availability of water, use of fertilizers,
pesticides, quality seed and availability of
credits and the use of new technology by
progressive farmers.
For instance, irrigated area increased from 10.4
million hectares in 1960-61 to 18.04 million
hectares in 2002-03. Fertilizer off-take increased
from 31000 tons to 320000 tons during this period.
Similarly, pesticides consumption increased from
665 metric tons in 1980 to 69897 metric tons in
2002 and agricultural credit increased from Rs128
million in 1971-72 to Rs51348 million in 2001-02.
But in spite of all this, the yields remain far
below compared to other countries. For example,
although Pakistan is fourth largest country in the
world in respect of the area under sugar-cane but
its yield is the lowest in the world. Likewise, it
is the seventh largest country with area under
wheat cultivation but ranks 59th in the world for
yield per hectare.
Pakistan is the fourth largest country for area
under cotton cultivation but ranks 13th in yield
per hectare in the world. In rice (paddy) we are
seventh largest but rank ninth as per hectare
yield and 14th as per hectare of maize.
Needless to say that in spite of the significant
increases in the production and yield of major
crops, we have still to import wheat, oilseeds,
pulses and sugar for our needs. Due to the
stagnation of cotton production, Pakistan has to
import cotton for the last couple of years.
We are considering to import 0.5 million ton rice
from India on the ground of its re-export as the
yield of Irri-6 is declining because of its
outdated variety. Nevertheless, the existing
increased yields as shown in Table -1 are still
below the achievable potential at research farms.
Table-2 clearly reflects the deplorable situation
of crop yields which is 56 per cent in case of
cotton, and varies between 72-86 per cent in cases
of other crops. In order to improve the crop
production, some measures are suggested below:
According to the 1990 census, 81 per cent of the
total number of farms are below subsistence level
and small farms covering nearly 62 per cent of the
total cultivated area. High cost of agricultural
inputs, their adulteration and their
non-availability on time, difficulties in getting
credits and inequity of water distribution,
especially at the tail ends are some of the major
constraints which adversely affect crops,
especially of the small farmers.
The situation is further complicated by the
continued fragmentation of holdings. The land
reforms of 1959, 1972 and 1977 fell far below the
national expectations. The new land reform should
not allow further fragmentation of 20 acres which
must be the lowest limit of a farm for effective
crop production, In India, 17 acres is the lowest
limit and it has revolutionized their agricultural
production and crop yields.
Their crop yields are much higher than ours in
spite of their nearly 70 per cent of the total
cultivated area being rain-fed as compared to 80
per cent of our cultivated area being irrigated .
It is already an established fact that the use of
quality seed increases yield by 20 per cent,the
use of balanced fertilizer increases yield by
25-75 per cent depending on the soil and the crop
and control of pest and diseases further increases
yield by over 20 per cent. Therefore, high
production technologies for small and large farms
farmers be developed separately.
The small farm technology should be based on
community participation and small farmers be
trained to implement it. Inputs and credit
requirements of farms within five-mile radius be
calculated and these be provided on time on
subsidized rates or on easy terms, especially to
small farmers. Small farmers having below
subsistent level (less than 5 hactres) farms be
provided with interest-free loans recoverable on
easy instalments.
Due to sedimentation of major dams and reservoirs,
availability of surface water per unit area is
declining thus effecting crop yields. For
instance, the over-all water availability at the
canal heads was 94.7 maf in 1967-68. It reached a
maximum of 109.7 maf in 1991-92 with yearly
fluctuations. It started declining and reached
74.6 maf in 2001-02. The policy makers should give
top priority for construction of new dams or
reservoirs. The poorly maintained 140627
watercourses and the poor land levelling results
also adversely affect yields.
The government has announced a Rs71 billion
programme for improving watercourses and land-levelling
which should be monitored and evaluated to remove
the constraints in its implementation. If
implemented letter and spirit, it is likely to
increase water-use efficiency by38.5 per cent.
The existing irrigation system is supported by
over 44 maf of ground-water from nearly 700000
tube-wells. About 70 per cent of this water varies
from slightly to highly brackish which not only
affects the yields but increases soil salinity,
The problem be solved by using recently developed
technology being used in several other countries.
About five million hectares of the total
cultivated area is under rain-fed crops. The
rain-water harvesting practices are not only
primitive, they hardly collect 25-30 per cent of
rain, while the modern methods followed in several
other countries enable them to collect up to 90
per cent of the incidental rain.
These methods also increase yields to 500 per
cent. Not only this, some of the countries have
been able to get their rain-fed crop yields
comparable to irrigated crops. Our planners should
seriously take cognizance of this technology and
develop plan to implement it in our rain-fed
areas.
Due to increased food requirements and the
declining land and water resources, conservation
agriculture has increased on 45 million hectares
in the world. For example, bed plantation in China
not only saved 40 per cent water but increased
yields of different crops by 10-20 per cent.
Similarly, zero tillage technology is fast
spreading for sowing wheat in rice-wheat belt
around the world. It saves cost of machinery,
tillage and energy besides increasing water-use
efficiency and yield up to 20 per cent.
Yield gap of major crops
Crops Yield potential Average yield (2003) Yield
gap (%)
Wheat 6415 2390 72
Rice (paddy) 9849 2013 80
Sugarcane 183300 47337 74
Cotton (lint) 1400 622 56
Maize 6944 1856 73
Pulses 2875 390 86
Edible oilseeds 3235 743 77.
The DAWN |
|
|
|
|
Pakissan.com; Advisory Point
|
|
