International Wheat Market Report 16th March 2018

Lahore: The country is expected to harvest a bumper wheat crop of around 26 million tons during the current season – a figure, albeit a little short of annual target, is the highest ever – as increased fertiliser offtakes offset the low acreage impact. 

The News surveys with farmers and agriculture experts across Punjab found that this year’s crop output may be close to 26 million tons against the target of 26.46 million tons despite lower acreage, water shortage and late sowing associated with marketing-related issues of sugarcane and cotton crops. 

“If proven right, it will be the record output of wheat ever harvested in the country,” a senior official said. The expected crop production is equal or near to what was forecast by Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (26 million tons) and United States Department of Agriculture (26.5 million tons). 

Agriculture experts termed the highest fertiliser consumption as a major factor behind the healthy crop outlook. Fertiliser offtake offset negative impact of low acerage this year, they said. Above-average temperature and lingering water shortage are, however, still a source of concern for the farmers who fear that production might be hurt if the trend continues in the coming days. ..... Read More http://par.com.pk/report/81974

International Wheat Market Report 7th March 2018

LAHORE: The falling inflows in River Jhelum, the country’s biggest reservoir, are likely to create water shortages for the current cash crop of wheat, officials said on Monday. 

The inflow of River Jhelum, which originates from Indian Held Kashmir, dipped below 2,000 cusecs during the last couple of days, pointing to the alarming situation as far as meeting irrigation requirements of the country is concerned. 

The recorded volume of Jhelum inflow was 1,917 cusecs and 2,043 cusecs respectively in the last two days (February 18 and 19, 2018) against average five times higher flows recorded in the last decade (2009-2017), a senior official of the Ministry of Water Resources has said. 

The water inflow was recorded at 14,762 cusecs on February 19, 2017 whereas it was 11,718 cusecs on the corresponding day in 2016. 

In fact, the average inflows during this time of year in the recorded history have been around 10,000 cusecs. The lowest recorded inflow of River Jhelum in the last decade on this day was 9,473 cusecs on February 19, 2014. With just 0.7 million acre feet (MAF) left in Tarbela and Mangla Dams, water managers are already in dire situation as ...... Read More
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