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The Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA), led by Federal National Food Security and Research Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, evaluated the performance of Kharif Crops for the 2025-26 season and set production goals for Rabi Crops during the same period. The session included participation from provincial agriculture ministers, secretaries, and high-ranking officials from both federal and provincial departments.

Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain stated that the government, led by the Prime Minister, is fully dedicated to enhancing the agriculture sector, securing food supplies, and improving the living conditions of farmers by implementing improved pricing systems, providing access to loans, and ensuring the availability of high-quality agricultural inputs. He highlighted that the agriculture sector serves as the foundation of the national economy, and its stability significantly supports national growth, rural development, and job creation.

The minister recognized that, even with the difficulties posed by floods, climate changes, and global market swings, every province delivered outstanding results during the Kharif season. He also praised the collaborative work of provincial departments and farmers for their commitment and perseverance in keeping production levels steady despite tough conditions. Rana Tanveer Hussain mentioned that the Ministry of National Food Security and Research will keep carrying out reforms aimed at modernizing agriculture through research, creativity, and eco-friendly methods.

The role of the Federal Committee on Agriculture is to evaluate crop output across different provinces, analyze the difficulties encountered by the agricultural industry, and determine production goals and policy strategies for the upcoming growing seasons. During the meeting, the committee was updated that sugarcane production for 2025-26 is tentatively projected at 84.7 million tonnes from a cultivated area of 1.146 million hectares, representing a rise of 5.5 percent in area and 5.9 percent in production compared to the targets set by the FCA. Rice production for 2025-26 is expected to reach 9.417 million tonnes from an area of 3.039 million hectares, indicating an increase of 21.9 percent in area and 2.7 percent in production over the established targets. Likewise, mungbean production for 2025-26 is estimated at 150.8 thousand tons from an area of 170.6 thousand hectares, showing a growth of 22.9 percent in area and 1.2 percent in production relative to the previous year. The Ministry of National Food Security and Research has suggested a wheat production target of 29.678 million tonnes over an area of 9.648 million hectares. Targets for gram, potato, onion, and tomato have been set at 393, 8916, 2788, and 659 thousand tonnes respectively. The wheat policy has also been finalized to ensure that farmers receive fair support prices, allowing them to cover their production costs and achieve reasonable profit margins. The minister stated that this policy demonstrates the government’s dedication to protecting farmers’ interests and attaining self-sufficiency in staple food items.

The committee also examined the availability of seeds for Rabi crops. The DG from the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department (FSCandRD) stated that the supply of certified seeds for Rabi 2025-26 is expected to be adequate.

Concerning water availability, the IRSA Advisory Committee expected no water scarcity in Punjab and Sindh during the Rabi season of 2025-26. The provinces have been allocated 33.814 million acre-feet (MAF) of water. The Metrological Department stated that generally, below-normal rainfall is anticipated in most regions of the country during November and December, while near-normal precipitation is expected in January 2026. The department also mentioned that the rumors circulating on social media about an extremely cold winter are unfounded and incorrect. In alignment with the government’s plan to boost the agriculture sector, Rana Tanveer Hussain commended the State Bank of Pakistan’s initiatives to increase the availability of agricultural credit. The SBP set a target of Rs2,572 billion for agricultural credit disbursement in FY 2025, which represents a 16.3 percent increase compared to the previous year’s disbursement of Rs2,250 billion. At present, 47 financial institutions offer agricultural loans to farmers, including 5 major commercial banks, 13 medium-sized domestic private banks, 6 Islamic banks, 2 specialized banks (ZTBL and PPCBL), 11 microfinance banks, and 10 MFIs/RSPs.

In fiscal year 2025, the lending institutions released Rs2,577 billion, meeting 100.2 percent of the total annual goal and showing a 16.3 percent increase from the Rs2,215 billion disbursed during the same period in the previous year. The committee was also updated that the availability of Urea and DAP fertilizers is anticipated to stay consistent throughout the upcoming Rabi season (November-December 2025).

In his final comments, Rana Tanveer Hussain highlighted the government’s commitment to achieving food security via collaborative actions between federal and provincial authorities. He mentioned that farmers form the foundation of the nation’s development, and their success continues to be a primary focus for the government. The minister also emphasized the significance of prompt policy execution, better irrigation management, automation, and greater funding for research and development to promote long-term agricultural growth.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).