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KARACHI, Nov 09 (APP): Around 320,000 wheat growers have so far registered under the Wheat Growers Support Program launched by the Sindh government to boost local wheat production, strengthen farmers’ incomes, and reduce reliance on costly imports.
Allah Warayo Rind, Director General of the Sindh Agriculture Department, who also heads the monitoring committee for the initiative, told Wealth Pakistan that the registration deadline—originally set for October 31, 2025—has now been extended to November 10, 2025, enabling more farmers to benefit. He said that scrutiny of applications has already begun, and the first disbursement ceremony is scheduled for the second week of November 2025 in Larkana.
Under the scheme, the provincial government is providing cash assistance to farmers owning between one and 25 acres of land. Each eligible farmer will receive cash for two DAP fertilizer bags at Rs1,400 per bag, and two urea bags at Rs 4,000 per bag, per acre of cultivated land.
“So far, 321,000 farmers have registered, and the verification process is under way,” the DG said. “Out of these, 188,000 applications have been confirmed, while the overall target is to benefit 411,000 farmers across Sindh.”
Verification is being carried out through the Benazir Hari Card database, bank accounts, national identity cards, and land revenue records to ensure transparency.
The Wheat Growers Support Policy was announced by the Sindh government in September 2025 as part of its broader agricultural relief framework. Registration forms are available both in agriculture field offices and online, with field assistant officers tasked to facilitate completion at the grassroots level.
To oversee the process, monitoring and supervision committees have been formed at the provincial, district, and local levels, ensuring timely verification and disbursement. The provincial government is also conducting an awareness campaign across print, electronic, and social media platforms to maximize farmer participation.
According to departmental statistics, wheat is cultivated on 2.262 million acres across Sindh.
The provincial government has earmarked a total of Rs 58 billion for the program under the Wheat Cultivation Initiative 2025–26.
The Director General said the distribution of DAP fertilizer will be completed in November, while the remaining two urea bags will be provided to each verified farmer from January 20, 2026, following confirmation of crop cultivation.
To ensure smooth implementation, the Agriculture Department has cancelled officials’ leaves for 90 days, and all relevant offices will remain open on Saturdays until the distribution process concludes. “Sindh is the only province that has consistently extended subsidies to farmers during challenging times,” the DG remarked, expressing confidence that the initiative would help improve productivity, reduce import dependency, and strengthen food security.