MULTAN, Jan 21 (APP):The agriculture (extension) department in Dunyapur has sought applications from farmers for demonstration plots of wheat crops to participate in the competition by January 31.
Talking to APP on Sunday, Assistant Director of Agriculture Chaudhry Shahid Iqbal said that interested farmers have been asked to submit their applications with the department before the deadline. He said that the field staff has been directed to finalize plots of five acres each from every union council.
Shahid maintained that after the scrutiny of the plots, the top three farmers would be selected to contest the competition, adding that prize money of about Rs 150,000 would be awarded to the winner.
In response to a question about the availability of urea fertilizer, AD Agriculture said that fertilizer was being distributed equally among all districts of the province. He said that the crop needs Urea until 65 to 70 days of wheat cultivation, adding that the department was striving hard to ensure the availability of fertilizer to farmers at controlled rates by keeping in mind the importance of the fertilizer at the current stage of the crop.
Shahid further said that different initiatives were being taken by the department to create awareness among the masses about preventive measures for increasing crop production. He said that mega gatherings were being organized twice a year at the district level while seminars were being organized from village to village by the Tehsil office repeatedly.
Responding to a question about smog preventive measures, he said that strict action was being taken against violators of smog preventive measures. He said that the agriculture office has registered FIRs against 30 farmers, while a fine of over Rs 1.5 million has also been imposed on violators for burning crop residues during the crackdown.
He added that different initiatives were being taken by the department to promote oil seed crops, and for this purpose, different benefits were also being offered to farmers.
