Agriculture performed poorly

Agriculture sector performed poorly in 2007-08, growing at 1.5 percent against the target of 4.8 percent and it was due to poor performance of major crops and forestry, registering negative growth of 3.0 percent and 8.5 percent, respectively.

The Pakistan Economic Survey 2007-08 issued here Tuesday revealed that livestock, minor crops and fishing have been the saving grace as these sectors have performed reasonably well to compensate the performance of major crops and forestry to arrive at 1.5 percent growth in agriculture during 2007-08.

Major crops, accounting for 34 percent of agriculture and 7.1 percent of GDP, suffered on account of poor showing of wheat and cotton and less than satisfactory performance of rice crop. Sugarcane and maize being other two major crops, performed impressively in 2007-08.

Major Crops

Cotton: The cotton crop suffered for a variety of reasons including heavy rainfall in May 2007 causing poor germination in Punjab, high temperature during August and September 2007 causing more shedding of fruit parts and pest attack, especially dangerous mealy bug infestation. Consequently, cotton production declined to 11.7 million bales this year from 12.9 million bales last year, thus registering a negative growth of 9.3 percent.