Daily Times

As the sowing area shrinks, water constraint has emerged as the single most significant risk that may shrivel the paddy harvest in fiscal year 2022-23.

However, given the availability of a significant exportable surplus every year, the probable dip in rice output may not fundamentally disrupt the demand and supply balance throughout the 2022-23 fiscal year. Because rice, the country’s second most significant grain crop after wheat, is not a staple diet in this region of the globe, Pakistan used to collect around 60pc excess output every year.

According to processors, rice prices are rising alongside wheat and other crops, owing to poor next crop output predictions. According to another prediction Pakistan is predicted to produce 9m tonnes of rice for fiscal year 2022-23 (FY2023), up from 8.9m tonnes in FY22.

Experts predict that favourable weather conditions will play a significant influence in this record-breaking production. The above-average rainfall in July and the first week of August will contribute to the FY23 objective of over 9m tonnes.

Experts also estimate that an increase in acreage would raise the country’s paddy output during the current fiscal year. Because severe rains destroyed cotton fields in Sindh and South Punjab, paddy will be sown later, resulting in higher crop yield during the season.

Rice exports from the nation are also likely to increase to 5m tonnes in FY2023, since other rice exporters have suffered output losses due to adverse weather occurrences. Paddy output in India has dropped by nearly 10m tonnes, while the Chinese crop has also been impacted by rising temperatures.