ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistans wheat output may be a million tonnes more than recent forecasts after rains in the past week broke a long dry spell, traders and farmers said on Wednesday. Pakistan, Asias third largest wheat producer, had hoped to harvest 25 million tonnes from the 2009/10 crop following a bumper crop last year. It had to revise the target to 23 million tonnes in early February because of months of dry weather. But several days of rain fell across much the country from late last week and traders and farmers now hope some of the feared losses can be recovered, though some of the crop in rain-fed areas has suffered irreparable damage. With the widespread rains, there will be an improvement in the yield to the tune of 1 million tonnes, said Ibrahim Mughal, chairman of a main farmers association. We now hope to have between 23.5m and 24m tonnes this year as farmers will now be able to use more fertiliser in the wet land that will improve the yield, he said referring to fertiliser used in wet soil. A ban on wheat exports, imposed in 2007 because of shortages and high prices, remains in place. Mughal said dry weather had already damaged some of the crop that was sown late last year on barani, or rain-fed, land. Arif Mehmood, director general at the government weather bureau, said the current rainy spell was expected to end in a day or two, but more rain was likely by the end of February. Most of Pakistans wheat is produced on irrigated land. Pakistan relies on rain in catchment areas as well as snow across northern mountains to replenish its rivers and irrigation systems during warmer months. Government officials were not available for comment on any new crop estimates. Naeem But, chairman of the Pakistan Wheat Mills Association in the North West Frontier Province, said he also now expected the crop to be about 24 million tonnes. The stock of wheat with the government stood at 5.9m tonnes as of Jan. 31, against 1.7m tonnes in the same period last year, according to government figures. Wheat is a staple food in Pakistan and about 22 million tonnes are consumed a year. Any shortages or steep rise in prices inflames public anger towards the government.