Wheat stocks: Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan witness substantial decline

According to the statistics presented before the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet held on September 7, 2013, wheat stocks with Punjab were 3.946 million tons as on August 28, 2013 against 4.299 million tons during corresponding period of last year, showing a decline of 8.2 per cent. Wheat stocks with the KPK government were only 0.068 million tons against 0.426 million tons last year indicating a sharp decline of 84 per cent. Wheat stocks with Balochistan were 0.052 million tons as on August against 0.151 million tons during the same period last year.

However, wheat stocks with Sindh were 1.092 million tons against 0.148 million tons last year showing 638 per cent increase whereas Passco stocks stood at 1.986 million tons as compared to 1.706 million tons last. This implies that wheat stocks as on August 28, 2013 stood at 7.043 million tons against 6.730 million tons during corresponding period of last year.

The country’s sugar stocks have also declined. Information provided to the ECC reveals that sugar stocks stood at 2.129 million tons against 2.283 million tons last year, showing 6.75 per cent decline. Stocks with provinces as on August 28, 2103, were 2.123 million tons against 1.859 million tons during corresponding period last year. However, stocks with the TCP stood at 0.006 million tons as on September 3, 2013 against 0.424 million on September 12, 2012.

The ECC was further informed that estimated inventory of urea was 0.227 million tons and DAP 0.087 million tons. Urea’s total availability was 3.037 million tons for Kharif 2013, of which 0.220 million tons was opening inventory, 0.530 million tons imported supplies, 2.287 million tons domestic production. Total offtake was 2.800 million tons in Kharif.

According to documents available, total availability of DAP was 0.698 million tons of which 0.197 million tons was opening inventory, 0.112 million tons imported supplies and 0.389 million tons domestic production. Total offtake stood at 0.613 million. Estimated inventory is 0.087 million tons.