Tone-deaf policies and changing cropping patterns

Pakistan’s agriculture sector is witnessing a notable change in cropping patterns, driven by a complex interplay of various factors, including climate change and evolving market dynamics. However, it is concerning that the change appears to be out of sync with government planning and future development objectives set by our policymakers. The changing cropping patterns raise a pertinent policy issue: how can Pakistan’s overall agricultural productivity be increased through the right selection of crops? What and how much should be grown, and why? According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, agricultural statistics spanning 2012 to 2022 reveal that the wheat crop area has seen a moderate increase from 8.7 million to 8.9m hectares — a rise of 3.8 per cent. Notably, over the said ten-year period, rice, maize (corn), and sugarcane crop areas have surged by 37pc, 52pc, and 19pc respectively.