ISLAMABAD, Nov 17 (APP): In a strategic move to bolster the agricultural sector, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research has successfully conducted training sessions for 1,460 sugarcane growers across key crop-producing regions in order to enhance the per-acre output of the crop as well as to boost the overall farm income.
The farmers were provided training against sugarcane diseases and pest control under the crop enhancement project of the ‘Prime Minister Agriculture Emergency Program’ to implement advanced agricultural practices, ensuring a more efficient and productive cultivation process, told an official of the Ministry on Friday.
By equipping growers with the latest techniques and insights, the Ministry aims to empower them to maximize their yields and contribute to the economic prosperity of the agricultural community, he added.
He informed that the crop productivity enhancement project was launched in 2019 as the government has allocated over Rs4.93 billion out of the total the share of the federal government was comprised of Rs1004 million, the provincial governments’ Rs 2.889 billion, while farmers and service providers have to contribute Rs1,044 million, respectively.
Under the projects, he said that 61 surveys for insect pests, diseases, and nutrient disorders diagnosis were also conducted, he said adding that measures were also taken to enhance the capacity of existing biological pest control labs in the public and private sectors.
Meanwhile, the DNA sequencing-based identification conducted of sugarcane hybrids and unveiled of ancestry relationship of 58 varieties, 35 trials of balanced nutrition of sugarcane were also conducted under the project to enhance crop output.
He informed that due to the efforts made under the project, the overall yield increased by 5.7 tons per hectare while only in Punjab it grew by 7.9 tons per hectare.