World Grain - August 2021 - 20

COUNTRY FOCUS
KEY FACTS
FOCUS ON
PAKISTAN
Growing poultry sector providing market
for sharply rising maize output
by Chris Lyddon
Pakistan's traditional focus as a producer and consumer of grain
has been on wheat, which is the main staple of diets in the country.
However, a growing poultry sector, bolstered by increasing
demand, has provided a market for sharply rising maize output.
The International Grains Council (IGC) puts Pakistan's total
grains production at 34 million tonnes, up from 33.3 million the
previous year. The wheat crop is forecast at 25.5 million tonnes,
up from 24.9 million. Sorghum output is put at an unchanged
100,000 tonnes.
Pakistan's total grains imports, all of which are wheat, in 202122
are forecast at 2 million tonnes, down from 4 million the year
before. The country is expected to export 200,000 tonnes of
wheat, the same amount as in 2020-21.
Production of rice in 2021-22 is forecast at 7.8 million tonnes,
up from 7.6 million the year before. Exports of rice in 2021-22
are put at 4.2 million tonnes, up from 4 million.
The IGC also forecasts Pakistan's imports of rapeseed at
900,000 tonnes, unchanged from the previous year.
In an annual report on June 24, the US Department of Agriculture
(USDA) attaché puts Pakistan's maize production
in 2021-22 at a record 7.9 million tonnes,
up from 7.8 million the previous year.
" Wheat is Pakistan's largest
crop, in terms of area sown and
is grown under different agroecological
zones, " the attaché
explained. " In irrigated areas,
wheat is planted after cotton,
rice, and sugarcane, while
in rainfed areas wheat is
grown at the same time as
maize and millet.
" Sowing of wheat takes
place from October to December
and harvests from the
month of March to May. Approximately
80% of farmers grow
it on an area of around 9 million
hectares (close to 40% of the country's
20
Capital: Islamabad
Population: 238,181,034 (July 2021 est.)
Religions: Muslim (official) 96.5%, Sunni 85% to
90%, Shia 10% to 15%, other (includes Christian
and Hindu) 3.5% (2020 est.)
Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian
Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan
on the west and China in the north.
Government:
Federal
parliamentary
republic.
Chief of state: President Arif Alvi (since Sept. 9,
2018); head of government: Prime Minister Imran
Khan (since Aug. 18, 2018).
Economy: Decades of internal political disputes
and low levels of foreign investment have led to
underdevelopment in Pakistan. Despite some
progress in recent years in both security and energy,
a challenging security environment, electricity
shortages, and a burdensome investment climate
have traditionally deterred investors. Agriculture
accounts for 20% of output and 40% of employment.
Textiles and apparel account for more than
half of Pakistan's export earnings; Pakistan's failure
to diversify its exports has left it vulnerable to
shifts in world demand. Pakistan's GDP growth
has increased since 2012 and was 5.3% in 2017.
Official unemployment was 6% in 2017, but this
fails to capture the true picture, because much of
the economy is informal and underemployment
remains high. In 2013, Pakistan embarked on a
$6.3 billion IMF Extended Fund Facility, which focused
on reducing energy shortages, stabilizing
public finances, increasing revenue collection,
and improving its balance of payments position.
The program concluded in September 2016. Although
Pakistan missed several structural reform
criteria, it restored macroeconomic stability, improved
its credit rating, and boosted growth.
Balance of payments concerns have reemerged,
however, as a result of a significant increase in
imports and weak export and remittance growth.
Pakistan must continue to address several longstanding
issues, including expanding investment
in education, health care, and sanitation; adapting
to the effects of climate change and natural
disasters; improving the country's business environment;
and widening the country's tax base.
In an effort to boost development, Pakistan and
China are implementing the " China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor " (CPEC) with $60 billion in
investments targeted toward energy and other
infrastructure projects.
GDP per capita: $4,690 (2019 est.); inflation: 9.3%
(2019 est.); unemployment: 6% (2017 est.).
Currency: Pakistani rupees (PKR): 161.5 rupees
equal 1 US dollar (July 26, 2021).
Exports: $31.517 billion (2019 est.): textiles, clothing
and apparel, rice, leather goods, surgical instruments
(2019).
Imports: $42.27 billion (2019 est.): refined petroleum,
crude petroleum, natural gas, palm oil,
scrap iron (2019).
Agriculture: 24.4% (2016 est.) of GDP and 42.3%
of the labor force.
Internet: Code: .pk; 34,734,689 users.
Source: CIA World Factbook
August 2021 / World Grain / World-Grain.com
http://www.World-Grain.com
World Grain - August 2021

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