KARACHI - The target of rice output is unlikely to be achieved in current Kharif season of 2009-10 due to acute water shortage in the country, agriculture experts told The Nation. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has set production target of 5.949 million tons of rice from an area of 2.529 million hectares for the Kharif season 2009-10, which is over one million tons less than the production of 6.954 million from 2.962 million hectares of kharif season 2008-09. The experts said that though government has set production target less than last years yielding, it is very difficult to achieve even this target due to water shortage and declining trend in prices of the commodity. The rice sowing in the country was in full swing these days but the closure of major canals and less flow of water is resulting in delay of rice plantation in country. In comparison with other crops, the rice crop needs large quantity of water until its harvesting as much water is necessary for enhancing yield of the rice grain, experts said. According to agriculture experts, Sindh is facing over 40 per cent water shortage which is delaying rice sowing as well as loss to growers who have completed cultivation. Sindh Agriculture Department has set target of 0.642 million hectares area for cultivation of rice crop but according to concerned officials, so far, merely 0.248 million hectares area has been made under rice cultivation that is 39 per cent of total target for the season. The officials attributed the overall water shortage behind the less cultivation of rice crop in Sindh. According to officials, the rice sowing delayed due to the rotational closure of irrigation canals in Badin, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Larkana, Qambar-Shahdadkot and Kashmore-Kandhkot. However, the recent water shortage has resulted in a fresh tug-of-war and blame game between the federating units of the country. According to officials of Irrigation Department of Sindh, the water flows position in Sindh barrages showed that Sindh is receiving less water than its share enshrined in 1991 water accord, as Sindh received 1,26,570 cusecs on 2nd July 2009 against its share of 1,48,200 cusecs. When contacted by The Nation, Hamid Malhi leader of Rice Growers Association affirmed that the overall water shortage in the country has negatively impacted the sowing of rice. He pointed out that usually sowing of paddy is started in July in Punjab but rotational closure of various canals is delaying the cultivation of the crop. The least interest for promoting the rice cultivation was visible from government policies where it has reduced the production target of rice for this crop season, he said, adding that financial loss to growers due to less prices of this commodity could be another reason not to achieve the output target of rice crop as growers have returned back their original crops of sugarcane and cotton. Meanwhile, a leading rice grower of Sindh Haji Munawar Ali Abassi, who is also member Sindh Assembly from PPP, told The Nation that Rice Canal which is the only source of irrigation water for rice growers in Larkana, Dadu, Shikarpur and Kamber districts, is closed since one week, resulting in delay in paddy sowing. The rice growers already suffered financial losses due to torrential rains last year which damaged the rice, he said, adding that despite instructions issued by Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, the Passco did not buy the commodity from growers. He said the persistent water shortage is delaying the rice sowing, while concerned authorities are not sure about the availability of water flows in coming days of this crop season, as sowing season of rice will be expired on 25th of this month.