ISLAMABAD: The country’s agricultural sector has grown to 2.9 per cent during 2014-15, missing the target of 3.3pc, however it remained 0.2pc up from the last year’s 2.7pc.
According to Pakistan Economic Survey 2014-15 released by the Finance Ministry, except cotton and rice, which recorded positive growth of 9.5pc and 3.0pc respectively, all major crops remained weak as sugarcane, maize and wheat production recorded a negative growth of 7.1pc, 5.0pc and 1.9pc, respectively.
As per the survey, agriculture accounted for 20.9pc of the gross domestic product in 2014-15 and is a source of livelihood of 43.5pc of rural population. Key crops, such as wheat, rice, sugarcane maize and cotton account for 25.6pc of the value addition in overall agriculture and 5.3pc of the GDP. The other crops account for 11.1pc of the value addition in overall agriculture and 2.3pc of the GDP.
Livestock contributes 56.3pc to agricultural value-addition much is more than the combined contribution of important crops, other crops and cotton ginning (39.6pc).
Other crops contributed 11.1pc in value-addition of agriculture recorded an increase of 1.1pc during 2014-15 against negative growth of 5.4pc during the same period last year that is due to increase in production of pulses, vegetables and fruits which recorded positive growth of 13.0pc, 2.5pc and 0.9pc, respectively, against the negative growth of pulses and vegetable by 35.9pc and 8.8pc, respectively, on account of better water availability, more fertilizer off-take and relief in prices of agriculture inputs and enhanced availability of agriculture credit, the survey explained.
