Agriculture in Pakistan

a common farmer in rural Pakistan

Agriculture and land use in Pakistan. (Only major crops)

Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land and water. About 25% of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by one of the largest irrigation systems in the world. Pakistan irrigates three times more acres than Russia. Agriculture accounts for about 23% of GDP and employs about 44% of the labor force. Pakistan is one of the world's largest producers and suppliers of the following according to the 2005 Food and Agriculture Organization of The United Nations and FAOSTAT given here with ranking:

• Chickpea (2nd)
• Apricot (4th)
• Cotton (4th)
• Sugarcane (4th) (National Juice of Pakistan)
• Milk (5th)
• Onion (5th)
• Date Palm (6th)
• Mango (7th) (National fruit of Pakistan)
• Tangerines, mandarin orange, clementine (8th)
• Rice (8th)
• Wheat (9th)
• Oranges (10th)

Pakistan ranks fifth in the Muslim world and twentieth worldwide in farm output. It is the world's fifth largest milk producer. Agriculture is the back bone of Pakistan's economy.