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ISLAMABAD: The Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA), chaired by Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, on Thursday reviewed the performance of Kharif crops for 2025–26 and approved production targets for the upcoming Rabi season. The meeting was attended by provincial agriculture ministers, secretaries, and senior officials from federal and provincial departments.
Rana Tanveer Hussain reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening Pakistan’s agriculture sector, ensuring food security, and improving farmers’ livelihoods through fair support prices, access to affordable credit, and the provision of quality inputs. He noted that agriculture remains the backbone of the national economy, driving rural employment and contributing significantly to GDP growth.
The Minister appreciated the provinces for achieving better-than-expected results in Kharif crops despite challenges such as floods, climate variability, and global market volatility. He commended farmers for their resilience and reiterated the ministry’s focus on modernization through research, innovation, and sustainable farming practices.
According to data presented to the Committee, sugarcane production for 2025–26 is estimated at 84.7 million tons from 1.146 million hectares, showing increases of 5.5% in area and 5.9% in output compared with the previous targets. Rice output is projected at 9.417 million tons from 3.039 million hectares, reflecting a 21.9% rise in area and a 2.7% increase in production. Mungbean production is expected to reach 150.8 thousand tons, up 1.2% year-on-year.
For Rabi 2025–26, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research has proposed a wheat production target of 29.678 million tons from 9.648 million hectares. Targets for gram, potato, onion, and tomato were set at 393, 8.916, 2.788, and 0.659 million tons respectively. The wheat policy aims to ensure that farmers receive fair support prices to recover production costs and earn reasonable profits, reflecting the government’s focus on achieving self-sufficiency in staple crops.
The Director General of the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department informed the Committee that certified seed availability for Rabi crops would remain satisfactory. The IRSA Advisory Committee reported adequate irrigation supplies for Punjab and Sindh, with 33.814 million acre-feet of water allocated for the season.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast below-normal rainfall in November and December but near-normal precipitation in January 2026, dismissing social media rumors about an exceptionally harsh winter as unfounded.
The Minister also lauded the State Bank of Pakistan’s efforts to enhance agricultural credit flows. The SBP set an indicative target of Rs 2.572 trillion for FY2025—16.3% higher than the previous year’s disbursement. Lending institutions disbursed Rs 2.577 trillion during the year, achieving 100.2% of the annual target. Currently, 47 financial institutions, including commercial, Islamic, microfinance, and specialized banks, are providing loans to farmers.
The Committee was informed that fertilizer availability, including Urea and DAP, will remain stable for the Rabi season starting November 2025.
In his concluding remarks, Rana Tanveer Hussain emphasized that ensuring food security and supporting farmers remain top government priorities. He called for timely implementation of agricultural policies, improved irrigation management, greater mechanization, and enhanced investment in research and development to achieve sustainable growth in the agriculture sector.
