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FAISALABAD, Dec 01 (APP):Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani has said that the target of wheat cultivation in the province for the current season was set at 16.5 million acres, which is being achieved successfully.
All possible resources and means are being utilized to achieve the wheat cultivation target in the province, as per the instructions of Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif, he said and added that maximum wheat production is vital for the country’s food security.
The minister expressed these views while chairing a divisional wheat committee meeting at the Commissioner’s Office here on Monday. Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Osama Khan Leghari, MPA Sardar Khan Bahadur Dogar, Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar, Deputy Commissioner Cap (R) Nadeem Nasir and others participated in the meeting. The Deputy Commissioners of other districts joined the meeting online. Director General Agricultural Information Naveed Ismat Kahlo, Chief Scientist Ayub Agricultural Research Institute Faisalabad Dr. Javed Ahmed, Director Agriculture Extension Faisalabad Division Chaudhry Khalid Mahmood and representatives of fertilizer and seed companies and farmer organizations also participated.
The minister said that all stakeholders are playing a key role to achieve the wheat cultivation target in the province and the results in this regard are encouraging. He said that wheat is being cultivated on a large area in Faisalabad division by using super seeders. As many as 5,000 super seeders have so far been provided to farmers in the province on subsidy, while 5,000 more will be provided.
The minister said that for the first time in the Rabi season, fertilizers are available in abundance at prices below the fixed rates and a zero tolerance policy is being followed against fake pesticides and fertilizers. He said that 100 percent wheat cultivation has been ensured on government lands.
Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo said that on the instructions of the CM Punjab, wheat production competitions are being organized in which successful farmers will be given cash prizes worth millions of rupees including tractors. He said that at the provincial level, the first prize is 85 horsepower tractor, second is 75 horsepower and third is 60 horsepower tractor, while at the district level, the first prize is Rs 1 million, second is Rs 0.8 million and third is Rs 0.5 million.
He said that interest-free loans worth 90 billion rupees have been issued to more than 700,000 farmers under the Kisan Card so far.
On the occasion, Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar said that the target of wheat cultivation in Faisalabad Division was set over 1.8 lakh million acres, which has been completely achieved successfully.