The following table compares input utilization for the past three years. To arrest the deteriorating growth in the agricultural sector, the GOP has announced a number of measures to increase productivity, including improved availability of agricultural credit, better management of irrigation and drainage facilities, and stricter measures to check the adulteration of fertilizers and pesticides. Sources expect water reserves will be fully recharged by the end of the monsoon and irrigation supplies are expected to be normal for the coming season, which should boost prospects for increased growth. The decrease in production is due to continued irrigation problems which are expected to result in a decline in both area and yield. Exports consist of about 75 percent of IRRI rice and 25 percent of Pakistan s famous fragrant Basmati.
Rice is Pakistan s second leading source of export earnings.
There is no subsidy or tax on rice exports. Exporters compete in the market for exportable supplies. Pakistan faces competition from Thailand and Vietnam in the export of coarse rice and from India in the Basmati rice trade. The decrease in production is due to continued irrigation problems which are expected to result in a decline in both area and yield. The impact of this cut is expected to be greater on IRRI crop than on the Basmati crop since IRRI generally is grown in areas that rely heavily on canal irrigation, while Basmati is grown in areas with large scale tubewell irrigation.