950813

More area brought

under cane

cultivation

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Second estimate of sugarcane crop for the year 1994-95 places the areas and production at 1,023,600 hectares and 45,847,000 tonnes as compared to 962,800 hectares and 44,427,000 tonnes of the last year. Both areas and production show an increase of 6.3 percent and 3.2 percent respectively.

In the Punjab this year, area sown under sugarcane crop shows an increase of 12.8 percent and is placed at 672,600 hectares as against 596,200 hectares of the previous year. The increase in area is due to good economic returns received by the growers last year coupled with diversion of cotton crop area to sugarcane crop. The production of sugarcane crop has registered an increase of 16.4 percent and stands at 28,527,000 tonnes as against 24,510,800 tonnes of the last year. The increase in production is due corresponding increase in area and better yield per hectare.

In Sindh, area and production of sugarcane crop for the year 1994-95 have been estimated at 249,700 hectares and 12,801,700 tonnes as compared to previous year's finally estimated area figure of 265,800 hectares and production of 15,421,000 tonnes. Area shows a shortfall of 6.1 percent mainly as a result of shortage of irrigation water in the months of February and March 1994 and subsequantly due to heavy rains in the monsoon season which damaged some area under the crop. In the wake of fall in area as well as yield per hectare. The production has registered a decline of 7 percent.

In NWFP sugarcane crop has been sown on 100,800 hectares giving thereby an increase of 0.5 percent when compared with last year's finally estimated area figures of 100,300 hectares. The increase in area is due to better irrigation facilities and lucrative cane prices. Production of sugarcane crop in this province stands at 4,491,100 tonnes as against 4,470,100 tonnes of previous year thereby showing an increase of 0.5 percent. The increase in production is due to corresponding increase in area

In Balochistan the area and production of sugarcane crop for the year 1994-95 are estimated at 500 hectares and 27,200 tonnes as compared to 500 hectares and 25,100 tonnes of the previous year. Area remained at last year level however, production shows an increase of 8.4 percent.