PAKISTAN (5 February)
The winter wheat (rabi) area planted at the end of October through November 2003, has been estimated higher than the preceding year, reflecting the timely announcement of the support price by the Government, which provided incentive to farmers. Harvesting will start in late March and continue through July; most of the winter wheat is irrigated. The wheat output in 2003 is provisionally estimated at 19.3 million tonnes, some 5.6 percent higher than in the previous year.
Coarse grain output harvested in November 2003, is estimated at 2.1 million tonnes, slightly below the previous year, while paddy rice recovered from 6.9 million tonnes last year to 6.7 million tonnes this year due to favourable weather.
The outbreak of the avian influenza virus in the port city of Karachi has been contained and about 3.5 million birds have been reported as destroyed.