ISLAMABAD: The outbreak of deadly Coronavirus, which had badly affected the global economies also negatively impacted the national economy and performance of all major sectors remained dismal during the outgoing fiscal year (2019-20).
However, during period under review, the agriculture sector performed well as it recorded strong growth of 2.67 per cent considerably higher than 0.58 per cent growth achieved during same period of last year.
According the Economic Survey 2019-20 launched here on Thursday, performance of Kharif crops including rice production increased by 2.9 per cent and output of crop reached to 7.410 million tones.
The maize production in the country grew by 6.0 per cent to 7.236 million tons, whereas cotton production declined by 6.9 per cent and it was recorded at 9.178 million bales.
Meanwhile, sugarcane production witnessed nominal reduction of 0.4 per cent as it was recorded at 66.880 million tones. Wheat is the most important crop of Rabi season, which showed growth of 2.5 per cent and reached to 24.946 million tons during the year to be ended on June 30.
Other crops having a share of 11.53 per cent in agriculture value addition and 2.23 per cent in GDP, showed growth of 4.57 per cent mainly due to increase in production of pulses, oil seeds and vegetables. Cotton ginning declined by 4.61 per cent due to decrease in production of cotton crop.
Thus, the crops sector, overall, experienced a growth of 2.98 per cent due to increase in growth of important crops by 2.90 per cent mainly due to sufficient availability of inputs (adequate water, certified seeds, pesticides, and an uptick in credit disbursement) despite lower fertilizer off-take.
Livestock having share of 60.56 per cent in agriculture and 11.69 per cent in GDP achieved the growth at 2.58 per cent.
The Fishing sector having share of 2.06 per cent in agriculture value addition (and 0.40 per cent in GDP), grew by 0.60 per cent, while Forestry sector having share of 2.13 per cent in agriculture (and 0.41 per cent in GDP) grew by 2.29 per cent.
Read more: Pakistan’s economy contracted 0.38% in FY2020 as COVID-19 wreaked havoc: Economic Survey
