ISLAMABAD: A task force on agriculture has warned the government to take immediate measures to avert food shortages and curtail the current commodity imports of 2.5 million tonnes.

The second interim report on national campaign for increasing wheat production by the task force on food security under the Chairmanship of Sartaz Aziz has further recommended a well thought out strategy along with incentives for the farmers to increase the wheat output significantly.

The report did not recommend any thing new but the recommendations are so-called old practices, which the farming community is practicing from decades, a progressive farmer after going through the report told this correspondent.

The report was silent on procurement of staples like wheat, rice and other crops, he said adding that ensuring the price of the produce (stable foods) is the main factor, which contributes yield of the crops.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on May 29 constituted the task force on food Security and it was assigned to review the production, availability and consumption of essential food commodities. It was also tasked to review food procurement/storage status, examine the price trends of essential food commodities in relation to the international markets.

The yield gap for wheat production between progressive farmers and national average is over 40 per cent while that of other grains, the gap yawning to over 50 per cent, says the report made available with The News on Wednesday.

The report further cites the decline in wheat production that is mainly attributed to 38 per cent decline in DAP off take during the last wheat sowing. The main ingredients for this strategy includes availability of certified seed, timely announcement of procurement price, improving credit outreach, efficient usage of water, herbicide campaign, subsidy on fertiliser, mechanisation, motivating small farmers and incentives for good governance.

The report sums up with a note, “achieving self sufficiency in wheat will have a far reaching effect on our national economy in general and rural economy in particular.

It will also help in raising income levels in rural areas and reduce incidence of poverty”. The report further urged the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock and provincial governments to actively implement the recommendations of the task force.