(Publish from Houston Texas USA)
(Zafar Chishti)
Faislabad: A meeting to review wheat cultivation was held at the Commissioner’s Office Faisalabad Division, under the chairmanship of Minister for Agriculture Punjab Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani. The meeting was attended by Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Usama Khan Leghari, Member Provincial Assembly Sardar Khan Bahadur Dogar, Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, Commissioner Faisalabad Division Raja Jahangir Anwar, Deputy Commissioner (R) Captain Nadeem Nasir, while Deputy Commissioners of the relevant districts participated online. Director General Agricultural Information Naveed Asmat Kahloon, Chief Scientist Ayub Agricultural Research Institute Faisalabad Dr. Javed Ahmad, Director Agriculture Extension Faisalabad Division Ch. Khalid Mehmood along with other officers, representatives of private fertilizer and seed companies and farmers’ organizations were also present.
Addressing the meeting, Minister for Agriculture Punjab Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani said that the wheat cultivation target for the current season in Punjab has been set at 16.5 million acres. He said that wheat is essential for national food security. Under the directives of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif all possible resources are being utilized to achieve the wheat cultivation target across the province. He further stated that, as per the Chief Minister’s directions, all stakeholders are actively contributing to ensure the target is met. The results of wheat sowing so far are encouraging. Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani added that a large area in Faisalabad Division is being cultivated through super seeders. A total of 5,000 super seeders has already been provided to farmers on subsidy, while another 5,000 will be provided soon. He added that for the first time in the Rabi season, fertilizers are available in abundance at prices lower than the fixed rates and a strict zero-tolerance policy is being implemented against adulterated pesticides and fertilizers. On the directives of the Chief Minister Punjab, 100% wheat cultivation on government lands has been ensured.
Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahu said that, on the instructions of the Chief Minister Punjab, wheat yield competitions are being organized, in which successful farmers will receive cash prizes worth millions of rupees along with tractors. He said that at the provincial level, the first prize is an 85 HP tractor, second prize 75 HP, and third prize 60 HP tractor. At the district level, the first prize is Rs. 1 million, second Rs. 800,000, and third Rs. 500,000. He further stated that under the Kissan Card, more than 700,000 farmers have been provided interest-free loans worth Rs. 90 billion, and upon repayment, the loan is reissued within 24 hours.
During the meeting, Commissioner Faisalabad Division Raja Jahangir Anwar informed that the wheat cultivation target of 1.834 million acres set for Faisalabad Division has been successfully achieved in full.
