Declining wheat crop to put food security in peril

The production of wheat in the upcoming Rabi season is expected to decline as decreasing profit margin and high input costs are making farmers look out for alternative crops like maize and rice, jeopardising national food security. Meanwhile, expressing concerns over the impending food shortage in the wake of floods, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for collective efforts to ensure food security. During 2021-22, the area under cultivation for wheat decreased by 2.1 per cent to 8,976,000 hectares. In 2020-21, the area was 9,168,000 hectares. The production also declined by 3.9pc to 26.394 million tonnes against 27.464m tonnes a year before. Officials have blamed the decline in acreage, water shortage, drought conditions at the time of sowing, less fertiliser offtake and heatwave during March and April for the decline in yield. This decline came despite the decision to increase the minimum support price from Rs1,850 per 40 kg to Rs2,200.