ISLAMABAD, June 2: The output of pulses and oil seeds during the year 2005-06 remained lower than the last year, resulting in their short supply, which is expected to ultimately push up their retail prices in the coming months.

Official statistics available with Dawn showed that the out put of all the pulses declined by 12.83 per cent to 196,100 tons during the year 2005-06 as against 225,900 tons during the same period of last year.

An official said that an amount of subsidy is expected to be allocated in the budget for maintaining pulses prices in the market at a reasonable level by importing subsidised pulses to bridge the gap between supply and demand.

If this was not done, the official said, prices of pulses will shoot up further due to decrease in the consumption of poultry products following the outbreak of bird flue in the country.

However, the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock (Minfal) has yet to come up with some substantive steps for increasing the production of pulses and to introduce new seeds for better performance even in case of less rain showers.

Among the pulses, the output of mash declined by 9.83 per cent to 16,500 tons during the year 2005-06 as against 18,300 tons during the same period last year. The production of masoor declined by 13.5 per cent to 22,400 tons as against 25,900 tons last year; mung declined by 12.6 per cent to 113,600 tons as against 130,000 tons.

The mash price rose to Rs75 per kg at retail stage in May 2006 as against Rs48 per kg in May 2001; masoor Rs46 per kg as against Rs39 per kg; and mung at Rs60 per kg as against Rs37.84 per kg during the period under review.

Similarly, the production of all oil seeds declined by 12.1 per cent to 372,500 tons during the year under review as against 423,800 tons last year.

Of these output of sunflower seeds declined by 12.68 per cent to 287,600 tons during the year 2005-06 as against 329,400 tons during the same period last year; soyabean by 66 per cent to 100 tons as against 300 tons; canola by 24 per cent to 9,800 tons as against 12,900 tons.

According to statistics, the total consumption of edible oil and desi ghee in Pakistan stands at 3.5 million tons while the per capita consumption of ghee is 18 kg.

For meeting the demand, the oil produced from local oil seed crops stood at 740,000 tons; 1.812 tons from imported oils and fats and 226,040 tons from imported oil seed and 800,000 tons desi ghee.

With this reduction in production of oil seeds and increase in palm oil price in international market, it was likely that the ghee and oil prices will witness some increase in the post budget period.