(A) FOODS CROPS
(1) Wheat: Wheat is the principal food crop of the people. It occupies an important position i farming policies. The share of wheat is 3% to GDP. The area under wheat crop was 8494 thousand hectares and wheat output stood at 23.52 million tons and it contributed14.4% to value added in agriculture in 2006-07.
The area and yield of wheat has gradually increased in Pakistan dye to the introduction of new wheat varieties, improved agronomic practices, increased water availability and improved water use efficiency greater use of fertilizer wide spread use of mechanical implements, better storage facilities and a support price policy and favorable weather conditions.
The agriculture of Pakistan is to face another big challenge from the World Trade Organization regime (WTO) from the year 2005. According to the WTO agreement on agriculture, it is necessary for each country, to provide market access to international commodities and to do away with domestic and export subsidies. Pakistan will now have to take steps to minimize the cost of production of crops and also maintain quality of goods to compete in the international market.
With the advent of Green Revolution the wheat production has increased from four million tones in 1960 to 23.5 million tones in 2006-07. In order to increase the yield of wheat per acre, some additional measures shall have to be taken. These in brief are (i) Development of new high yielding varieties (ii) production and distribution of certified seeds (iii) Timely sowing of wheat (iv) Timely availability of fertilizer and (v) elimination of weeds from fields.
The production of wheat in 2006-07 is highest in the