IMPACT OF GROUND WATER ON WHEAT PRODUCTION IN DISTRICT JHANG, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Pakistan comes in a region where rainfall is untimely and not enough to support the requirements ofcrops. To meet ever-increasing food and fiber requirements of rapidly multiplying population, Pakistan s agriculture depends heavily on irrigation from surface and ground water resources. Canal water resources alone are not sufficient to meet crop water requirements. To overcome this deficiency, farmers exploit the ground water resources. In present study, concentration was given to quantify the impact of ground water on wheat production -in District Jhang, Punjab, Pakistan. A production function was estimated by using the regression technique. Results of the study showed that tubewell irrigation accounts for about 19 percent of the total cost ofproduction ofwheat crop. The results also showed that land holding, use offertilizer, experience of farming and sodium absorption ratio were major factors affecting gross value product (GVP) of wheat. Adjusted R2 of the study was 0.59 which shows the goodness of fit of data. Significant F-test showed that results were overall significant. The findings of the study would help policy makers to formulate policies promoting wheat production through efficient and wise utilization of ground water resources