Farming in Pakistan

Pakistan is an agricultural country which accounts for about 23% of its GDP. It is the largest employment generating sector, employing 48% of labour force in the country. Forestry and Fishing contributes around 25% of the Pakistan’s GDP.

Despite being an agricultural country, out of its 803,940 sq km of total area, about 60% is considered unsuitable for agricultural activities or forestry. This huge area consists of mountains, deserts and urban settlements. Out of total cultivable area only three quarters is fertile due to lack of rain in most areas.

Pakistan’s 70% of the farmed area is in Punjab, followed by the Sindh that occupies 20%, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa contribute around only 10% and Balochistan has only 1% of the farmed land.

Due to lack of rainfall farming largely depends on irrigation. The Government of Pakistan has been taking many steps to improve water supply for the crops. Today Pakistan has one of the world’s largest irrigation networks. Due to different projects at different areas of the country, cultivated area has increased to more than one third since independence and now 80% of the farming is done with the help of intensive irrigation.

Agricultural Seasons

Pakistan generally has two main crop seasons:

• Kharif Season:

It is the summer season of the country in which the crops are planted from April to June and harvested from October to December. Kharif crops need more amount of water and heat. Main Kharif crops are cotton, rice, sugarcane, tobacco, maize and millet. They cover the 45% of cultivated land of Pakistan. They mostly include cash crops which are sold by the farmers in the market to earn profit.

• Rabi Season:

It is the winter season in which the crops are planted from October to December and harvested in April and May. In Rabi season the crops need less amount of water. Rabi Crops include wheat, Barley, oil seeds and grams. They cover about 55% of the total cultivated land of Pakistan.

Kharif Crops :

• Cotton:

Cotton is Pakistan’s one of the main cash crops and is an important export commodity. Cotton cultivation requires a long frost free time, moderate rain and lots of sunshine. The soil suitable for it is fairly heavy with moderate levels of nutrients.  A large proportion of cotton is grown in areas with less rainfall obtaining water from irrigation. The production for a given year mostly starts juts after harvesting the previous autumn crop.

During 1991, Pakistan was ranked third in the production of cotton after China and USA and was first in cotton export. In Pakistan cotton is also named as ‘silver fibre’. It is a warm climate crop and cannot tolerate the freezing temperature. Pakistan has a fertile and well drained soil. Cotton is the main export item of the country so lot of efforts are made by the Government to promote its production and facilitate the farmers.

For good cotton crop, there must be proper supply of fertilizers and five to eight sessions of irrigation during its growth time period. Cotton boll is very sensitive and can easily be damaged by the attack of insects so frequent spraying of insecticides ensures good crop. Cotton is picked either manually or mechanically. On most of the farms in Pakistan it is done manually normally by rural women. After picking, cotton bolls are sent to the ginning mills where cotton fibres (lint) are separated from the cotton seeds.  Then cotton lint is tied in bales and stored, after that they are sold out to the spinning mills to make threads.

Cotton seeds are also pressed to extract oil. This oil is used in cooking or in some industrial processes. After oil extraction remains of the seeds are used as cattle feed.  Three fourth of the cotton of Pakistan is grown in the Province of Punjab whereas the remaining is grown in Sindh.

• Rice

It is the most important staple food in a large part of the world especially in South and East Asia, Middle East and West Indies. After maize it possesses the second place in world’s highest production of grains. It is an important grain for caloric intake and nutrition of humans providing one fifth of the calories consumed. Cultivation of rice is well suited in the areas with low labour costs and high rainfall. It can be grown anywhere even on mountains. The traditional way of cultivating rice is by flooding the crops after setting the seedlings. This needs sound planning and good supply of water for damming and channelling.

Rice is an important cash as well as food crop of Pakistan. In about one-tenth of the cultivable land we grow rice. It fulfils more than 2 million tones of our food requirement and this industry has given employment to a large number of people in the country.

Rice need a large amount of water, so it has to be grown in water irrigated areas where large required quantity of water remain available all the time to the farmers. Levelled fertile land with nonporous sub soil layer is required for its cultivation. Rice likes to grow with its ‘feet in water’. Main rice cultivated areas are in Punjab and Sindh. Rice is also cultivated in Khyber Pakhtunkwa but on a very small scale on terraced fields in the northern areas of Pakistan.

After harvesting and threshing rice is send to the factories for separating the good grains and then after polishing are send to the market for local customers and a large portion is packed for export

• Sugarcane

It is a crop native to warm temperature to tropical areas of Asia. The stout, fibrous and jointed stalks measuring 2 to 6 meters long are rich in sugar. Sugarcane products are many in the world including sugar (brown and white), molasses, falernum, ethanol and bagasse etc. The main countries producing sugarcane are India, Pakistan, Brazil, Colombia, Australia, Philippines, Hawaii and Cuba.

Sugarcane is another important cash crop of Pakistan. Internationally the country has been ranked 12^th in the production of sugar. Like rice sugarcane is also a water loving plant and amount of juice in it depends highly on the ample quantity of water given to the crop. It required 16 sessions of irrigation and heavy fertilization for good growth. Sugarcane requires a large amount of water so it has to be grown in irrigated areas.

The seeds of sugarcane once sowed can give two to three successive crops after that the seeds have to be sown again. Right after cultivation sugarcane is sent to the mills otherwise it will start loosing its weight as juice start evaporating. It is scrubbed to remove dust and with the help of rollers juice is extracted which is used to make either white or brown sugar and in rural areas gur is also made. Juice of sugarcane is called ‘Molasses’. The remains of the sugarcane are called ‘Bagasse’ that is used for animal feed, to make chip boards, paper. It is also rarely used as a bio fuel to generate electricity.

It is harvested mechanically in most of the developed countries but hand harvesting accounts for more than half of the world’s production which is basically done in the developing countries like India and Pakistan. In this method the field is set on fire to burn dry leaves killing any snakes without damaging the stalks and roots. Then the cane is cut just above the ground level with the help of machetes or cane knives.

• Tobacco

It is an agricultural product which is processed from leaves in the genus Nicotiana. It is used as an organic pesticide, consumed as a form of nicotine tartrate and is also used in some medicines. It is basically consumed as a recreational drug in most of the countries. It is a valuable cash crop for countries like China, Cube and United States of America. Rates of tobacco smoking is in the declining phase in the developed countries but continue to rise in the developing countries.

It is cultivated just like any other crop. Seeds are planted in hot beds or cold frames to prevent them from insects and transplanted in the fields afterwards. It is an annual crop harvested by hand or mechanically. It is then stored for curing allowing oxidation and carotenoids degradation. This allows the crop to take on the smoothness of the smoke. It is then packed according to the forms it is consumed which is chewing, smoking , sniffing etc.

Tobacco is a cash crop growing in few areas of Pakistan. Its share in the foreign exchange of Pakistan is of 570.2 million rupees that makes 0.4% share in the total exports of the country. Province Khyber Pakhtunkwa is the main tobacco growing area where two types of tobacco are grown, i.e. Barley and Virginia. Pakistan is fulfilling the local demand of tobacco and is also exporting good amount of tobacco earning a good share of profits with its export.

• Maize

It is commonly known as ‘Corn’ and has been used by human civilization even in prehistoric times. The cultivation of the crop started in Mexico and spread throughout  America. It gained popularity in the rest of the world in 15^th and 16^th centuries. Due to its ability to grow in diverse climates it is widely cultivated throughout the world today. The most important country for its growth is United States which produces high quality maize and possess 40% of the world’s harvest.

Maize is the third important cereal crop in Pakistan after wheat and rice. It makes up 4.8% of the total farmed area with an annual production of about 1.3 million tonnes. Main producing provinces are Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which contributing 68% and Punjab contributing 30% of the total crop production in the country. It needs moderate amount of water so those areas where rainfall is moderate maize can be grown even with out irrigation.

Maize is a main source of starch that is why maize flour ( corn starch) is an important ingredient in both home cooking and industrialial food items. It is also used in making cooking oil, syrups and gluten. The maize starch is also used in making of plastics, adhesives, fabrics and several other chemical products. The stigmas from its flowers are popularily used as herbal supplements.

• Millet

The Millets are small seeded species of cereal crops which is grown for food and fodder. They are small seeded grasses which grow in difficult environmental conditions like those with a risk of drought.  They have been produced in East Asia for the past ten decades and today are the major sources of food in arid and semi arid areas in making of the traditional foods all around the world. Millet is also known as jawar or bajara in Urdu. This is a coarse grain and is an important part of daily food of the people living in villages of Pakistan and India. It is used in making local staple hand rolled flat bread commonly known as ‘Jawar Roti’.

Millet is an important crop for the people living in the areas which are dry, cooler and less fertile in Pakistan. It is a tough crop and can grow in less fertile soil as well.  Out of total area under the cultivation of millet, 60.7% was in Punjab, 37.8% in Sindh, 0.1% in Balochistan and 1.4 % in Khyber Pakhtunkwa.

Rabi Crops

The main Rabi crops in Pakistan as follows:

• Wheat

It is a grass which originated from the Fertile Crescent areas of the East but today it is produced throughout the world. It is the world’s third most produced cereal after maize and rice according to the 2007 rankings with the production of 607 million tons. It has a higher level of vegetable protein content than in rice or maize. Globally, it is the main human food crop after rice.

Wheat is the most important rabi crop of Pakistan and the most important grain crop as well. It occupies the largest cultivated area throughout the country. Pakistan is ranked 10^th among wheat producing countries in terms of area and holds the 59^th position in terms of yield. The country is not only self sufficient in the production of wheat but also export the surplus crop to the neighbouring countries. Wheat contributes 3.0% of the GDP of Pakistan.

It can grow under a wider range of conditions as long as the temperature is not too hot.  In many areas of Pakistan wheat is growing with the help of rainfall, whereas in rest of the areas irrigation system is used.

Farmers sow the wheat in the months of October and November as in winter season temperature conditions are best for its growth and the months of April and May the temperature is suitable for its ripening. Then in May and June, harvesting, threshing and winnowing of the grains starts. Punjab is the main wheat producing province contributing 72% of the total production. Sindh is the next largest wheat producer region with a share of 17% of total production of the country.

• Barley

It is a cereal grain and has many uses. It is used in making many soups and stews and its bread is common in many cultures around the world. It is an important animal fodder and used in some distilled beverages as well. It is also known for having nutritional as well as medical values. Prophet Muhammad (mpbuh) prescribed Talbina (barley) for seven different diseases. It is also known for calming and soothing the bowels. It can be roasted and its tea is popular in many Asian countries. Its soup is eaten during the Holy month of Ramadan in Saudia Arabia. It has the ability to improve nutrition and boost food security.

According to the ranking done in 2007 barley is the fourth most produced cereal crop in the world with the production of 136 million tons. It is considered to be an adaptable and a tough crop. It can grow in areas with cool and dry climate. It is popular in temperate areas where it is grown in summers and in tropical it is grown in winters. The germination time is around one to three days. It has a short growing season and is relatively tolerant to drought. It can tolerate soil salinity more than wheat. It can even grow in poor soil. In Pakistan it is largely used as animal food and in some parts of country as human food as well. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the main barley producing area, whereas Punjab is also growing barley on a small scale.

• Oil Seeds

They are lipid materials derived from many plants. Though different parts of plants may give oil but it is primarily extracted from the seeds. Oils are liquids in room temperature unlike the fats but the natural oils have a melting range as they are not chemically homogeneous.

They may or may not be edible e.g. tung oil or castor oil are not meant for eating instead they can be used in making cosmetics products, paints or any other industrial puposes. Then there are oil extracted from corn, sesame, cotton seed, soybean, palm, sunflower, peanuts, grape seeds and all of them are edible and used in cooking food.

These oil seeds are full of fat that is the source of energy for humans. In Pakistan oil is extracted from the seeds of cotton, sunflower, rape, soybean, canola, maize, mustard, sesame and peanut plants. But more attention should be given on the production of oil seeds as only one third of country’s requirement s fulfilled by the locally produced seeds whereas the rest is imported from other countries.

• Pulses

Pulses are important food crop with high nutritional value. Just like the words lentil and bean, ‘Pulse’ refers to just the seeds not the whole plant. Pakistan and India are the largest producers of pulses in the world basically because they are consumed the most in these regions. United States, Australia and Canada are also significant exporters in this area. Usually grains are consumed with the pulses to form complete nutritional advantages. Pulses are also a good source of pre biotic resistant starch. Pulses have 20% to 25% protein which is double in content as compared to wheat and rice. They can be called ‘vegetarian meat’. Pulses include gram, moong, mash masoor and other daals. They are important source of protein and is the main part of Pakistan’s daily food especially now a days when meat being the best source of protein is beyond the reach of a common man in the country. Pakistan’s annual demand of pulses is approximately one million tonnes, of which 92% is being producing locally. Eastern part of Indus plain and some parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are important areas for the production of pulses.

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Agriculture – The backbone of Pakistan

Pakistan depends largely on agriculture for sustenance. Nearly 25% of the land is farm-able and is watered by one of the largest irrigation systems of the world. Pakistan stands 20th worldwide and 5th amongst the Muslim countries in farm production. The major crops produced are wheat, rice, cotton and sugarcane. Pakistan also produces fruits and vegetables besides pulses, ghee and milk.

To increase the yield, the Government has chalked out policies and set up institutes to help the farmers. One such is example is the Zarai Taraqiati Bank formerly known as the Agriculture Development Bank. It has a network of branches which provide easy loans to the farmers to purchase high quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and machinery.

The government of Pakistan has also established The University of Agriculture in Faisalabad where modern techniques are studied, researched and then practically implemented to improve the production of various crops.

Livestock farming is also widely practiced in Pakistan. Cattle, sheep, goats, buffaloes and poultry are reared for their meat, milk, hides and eggs. Pakistan is the fifth largest milk producer in the world.

Fishery also contributes to the national economy. Besides providing livelihood to scores of people, it also brings in foreign exchange. Lobsters and shellfish are the major exports.

Agricultural Products of Punjab

The province of Punjab in Pakistan is blessed with rich alluvial soil. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people of Punjab. The tributaries of River Indus flowing through the province have made farming easy. It also has the world’s largest canal system to supply water for irrigation purposes to far flung areas. Punjab produces 68% of the food grain of the country and for this reason is known as the Bread Basket of Pakistan.

Wheat and cotton are the major crops and are grown on a large scale. Other crops include rice, sugarcane, pulses, millet, corn, oilseeds, vegetables and fruits.

Cotton and rice are cash crops and are exported abroad and so is tobacco. The citrus fruits grown (keno) and mangoes of Punjab are also exported to the Gulf countries.

Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Gujrat, Faisalabad, Okara, Khushab are some regions where wheat, cotton and rice are grown. Tobacco is mostly grown in Multan, Sialkot and Gujranwala.

Average rainfall in Pakistan and Effects of Climatic Changes on Agriculture

Pakistan is located in a temperate region which accounts for most of its dry weather throughout the year. Mostly it is dry and hot with spells of rainfall in the months from July to September bringing some relief for the parched earth. The rains generally start in the late parts of June and continue till the beginning of October depending on the intensity of the South-West monsoon which is the main source of rainfall. The weather continues to remain oppressive as the rain does little to bring the temperatures down. Even if the temperature slips down a degree or two, the humidity present in the air poses discomfort for the people living in the nation of Pakistan. The average rainfall in the entire of Pakistan is measured to be around 255 millimetres which is very less considering the amount of land under farming. Most of the crops go to waste due to the low average rainfall in all areas of Pakistan. Even in the rainy season, all the parts of Pakistan do not receive equal amount of average rainfall. In fact, some parts of the desert area of Pakistan receive little or no rainfall throughout the year.

The increasing effects of global warming on the agricultural climate in Pakistan are posing huge problems for the government and the people. Due to the increase in temperature and the scarcity of adequate rainfall, the agriculture in Pakistan is facing a severe crisis which can threaten to blow out of proportion if proper care is not taken in time. A single example which would greatly emphasize this point would be the statistics which show that the carbon emissions have increased 9-fold since 1980. This has led to a meteoric rise in temperature which in turn has given rise to worse yield of crops. The agricultural climate which is ideally suitable for the perfect yield is far from being available which is evident by the declining growth of crops with every successive season. The scarcity of adequate rainfall poses drought problems which does nothing to help the yield. Another primary reason for the degradation in the agricultural climate seems to be the reduction in the forest cover over the entirety of Pakistan which seems to have further reduced the amount of rainfall which is generally expected in a calendar year.

Agriculture (or agro) Industries in Pakistan

Agriculture accounts for almost 1/4^th of the total GDP of Pakistan and is responsible for providing mass employment. On an average, agriculture industries employ almost 48% of the total work-force in Pakistan which is a huge number. Apart from mainstream agriculture, there is also the industry of fishing in Pakistan which is not so big yet, but has shown strong growth over the past decade or so. Right now, it accounts for a modest 5% of the total work-force but is growing at a good rate which is providing relief for the people of Pakistan. Apart from employing 48% of the total work-force, Agriculture industries in Pakistan support nearly 75% of the total population. The primary industries in Pakistan are cotton, wheat, rice, corn, fruits and vegetables. The biggest and the most important agriculture industry in Pakistan is the production of raw cotton. It accounts for a major part of their exports and is indicative of the overall economy of the nation. Most importantly, it contributes a lot to the GDP and helps in increasing the export earnings of the nation, thus keeping the external debt to a minimum.
The relationship between agriculture and industries in Pakistan is very complex. There is some dependence of agriculture on the methods and applications of industries. Some of the common categories under which this dependence can be classified count in the following list: the many methods of production and their changes; the magnitude of the production unit of the plant; heavy reliance on the topography and other climatic factors; the promptness with which decisions come about; the ways of practice and their standardization; the defining of the turnover; the formal organizations or heads taking prompt and head-on decisions; and, finally, the amount of cash pumped in the process, as well as the ease with which that can be done.
There are many problems in agro-industries yet to overcome and this cannot occur in Pakistan if we go by just any scientific design. Finding such a specific methodology for the context of Pakistan is rather difficult because of the relative primitiveness of what is still in use. Therefore, we find it imperative that a scientific method for easing out the relations in the agro-industries gets devised in Pakistan itself, one which will, in turn, might work in a positive and proper direction in benefit of the people.

Agriculture Crops in Pakistan and fertilizer farming

The primary economic activity in the country of Pakistan is agriculture. So it is only natural that a large number of crops are grown over here. Maximum percentage of the people in Pakistan is dependent on the occupation of Farming which is evident from the statistics which are available. Agriculture, coupled with small-scale forestry and fishing contributes almost 1/4^th of the total GDP. Moreover, it provides employment to a huge number of people. Almost 48% of the total labour force in Pakistan is employed in this sector. There are huge tracts of land in Pakistan which are devoted to growing agricultural crops. Although, agriculture crops are grown in all parts of the country, the primary areas are the Indus River plains in the areas of Sindh and Punjab. There has been considerable development and advancement in the methods of growing agricultural crops over the past few decades but a lot remains to be done, especially in accordance with the growing concerns of global warming which is threatening to pose big problems to the nation. The agricultural think-tank needs to develop new methods of growing crops with the minimal use of water because of the apparent lack of the same. Further, additives and fertilizers which can maximize the output need to be developed.
With the increasingly worse yields of agricultural crops that the farmers of Pakistan are getting each successive year, it is high time that they employed the use of agricultural fertilizers for the betterment of crops. There are a lot of factors which can be thwarted to increase the yields by the help of the same. The advantages of using agricultural fertilizers for the growing of crops seem to be manifold. First and foremost, the use of agricultural fertilizers is very important for improving the overall productivity of the land. Farmers in Pakistan are increasingly getting aware of the various nutrients that are present in fertilizers which help the soil in producing a better yield. Furthermore, the dire lack of water for irrigation would be neutralized by the use of fertilizers which would help in the artificial semi nation of nutrients into the plant in a dissolved form. The use of fertilizers has grown at a fast pace over the past few decades though the first use of the same was done in the year 1950. Proper knowledge of the same seems to have done a world of good to the farmers.

Project to Breed Salt-tolerant Rice and new corn varieties in Pakistan

Like in most of the Asian countries, agricultural rice is one of the most important crops in Pakistan for the reason that it forms part of the staple diet of most of the people. Besides this, rice is also important for Pakistan for being one of the export items earning more reserves. According to recent reports, agricultural rice accounts for $42 million of the export income annually. Nevertheless, one of the problems which haunt the production of agricultural rice in Pakistan is the salinity, which is contaminating. As a result, almost 2.7 million hectares of land devoted to rice cultivation goes to waste every year. There have been efforts by rice breeders to counter this problem, but the magnitude of this concern deserves even more consistent and severe action. Pakistan has decided to go ahead with a project to reduce the salinity of the cultivated land in order to increase the agricultural rice production. This would greatly help in increasing the total yield and, thus, ultimately contribute to escalating the export ranks. Apart from this, the increased yield could also serve in case of natural calamities, when the nation would require high reserves of rice for its own.

In a bid to improve the variety and yield of the agricultural corn produced in the country, the Pakistan government has given the go-ahead for the agricultural think-tank to introduce new corn varieties. Apart from the obvious effects of increased yield, there are many advantages of using this new variety of agricultural corn. For instance, it helps in the immense production of food grade lactic acid. Pakistan has been for the utilization of various novel and innovative methods for increasing the yield of its crops ever since the weather conditions have taken a turn for the worse. It realizes the dire need for increasing the yield of staple and regular crops like rice, wheat, agricultural corn, etc. Apart from the utilization of new methods of farming and cultivation, Pakistan has also employed the use of a whole new variety of seeds which are pre-treated to give an increased yield of products. Also, the Pakistan government has advocated the wide-spread use of fertilizers and additives which would heighten the yield without spoiling the output. A huge amount of monetary inputs are being made in this field for further research and development.

Pakistan’s Agricultural Economics

Pakistan has a total area of approximately 803,940 square kilometers out of which only 40% is deemed suitable for agriculture crop growth. The rest of the 48 million hectares that have been classified as unsuitable are a collection of mostly deserts, mountain slopes and urban settlements, like cities and towns. This is a matter of concern for Pakistan because the occupation of growing agriculture crops is the primary interest of Pakistanis. As a result, most of the Pakistani authorities include the mountain slopes along with the urban settlements in their division of useable land on the premise that they might be used for cattle grazing.

But things are definitely looking better for Pakistan. There has been a growth of 50% in the amount of agriculture crop area in the period of time after independence. A primary reason for this is the recent availability of agricultural irrigation. This has helped in making a larger field space fit for farming. Quite a substantial amount of land has been lost to urbanization but the incorporation of new land due to better modes of irrigation has definitely made up for it.

The population of Pakistan is roughly 165 million which is contained in an area which is slightly smaller than twice the size of the state of California. Being a grain producing country, the plains have high density of population. There are a host of countries which border its boundaries. India, China, Afghanistan and the like are included in this list. As with most of the Asian nations, agriculture is the primary source of income out here. Pakistan’s agricultural economics emphasizes that the single biggest sector of GDP is agriculture. Almost half of the total labor force in the entire of Pakistan is employed with the agriculture sector and draws almost 22% of its GDP from the same.

The rural areas of Pakistan account for approximately 67% of the entire population and are dependent on the agricultural sector for their livelihood. Urbanization is on a rise. This dependence may be in a direct or indirect form. Agricultural economics is heavily determined by Pakistan’s methods of farming as these products are the main source of foreign exchange earnings for itself. There has been a decline in the size of the farm that landowners have owned till date. In the 1970s the average size of the land used to be 13 acres while this has dwindled down to 7.7 acres in the present day.

The primary occupation and source of GDP for Pakistan is agriculture. There is a total land of 79.6 million hectares out of which, approximate 22 million hectares are devoted to the purpose of farming. Beyond that, only 18 million hectares are irrigated which give rise to the problem of proper yields. As a result, the Pakistani authorities are always in the process of finding out novel methods of producing agriculture fertilizers. The uses of farm inputs, until now, are highly insufficient. Low yields are obtained.

Fertilizers are very important for improving the productivity of a land. There are essential nutrients which can be extracted by the use of the same. The widespread use of agriculture fertilizers in Pakistan is slowly gaining momentum as people have realized the advantages of doing farming in an intelligent manner. Fertilizers were first introduced in Pakistan in 1950. The use of the agriculture fertilizers has gone up very fast as is evident from the fact that the use was 5kg/ ha in 1966-67 while in 2003-04 it went up to 133kg/ha. But this needs to be further improved because the use per hectare is still very low as compared to other nations.