Wheat cultivation target will be 16.5 million acre which will produce 21 million metric tons during current year in Punjab.
To achieve food security in the country, increasing the production of wheat is indispensable. Under the national plan to increase per acre wheat production, Government is providing subsidy facilities and incentives. Provincial Agriculture Minister’s address to the students on the occasion of his visit to University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.
This year, the target of wheat cultivation for the province of Punjab has been set at 16.5 million acres with the production target of 21 million metric tons.
These views were expressed by Minister for Agriculture, Punjab Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi during the address to the students on the occasion of the beginning of Wheat cultivation campaign at University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. On this occasion, Provincial Agriculture Minister said that the students of agricultural universities will participate side by side with the extension of the agriculture department in the wheat cultivation campaign and will provide technical guidance to the wheat farmers by reaching their doorsteps so that the farmers can grow more. Cultivate wheat on a larger area. Minister for Agriculture, Punjab said that wheat is our strategic crop. This year, due to floods, wheat seeds stored in homes have been damaged. Therefore, Federal and Provincial Government are working together in the flood affected areas to ensure timely cultivation of wheat. He further said that Punjab produces nearly 75 percent of the total production of wheat and this crop also leads to economic stability of the farmers. In order to make this year’s wheat crop profitable, the support price of Rs.3000 per 40 kg has been fixed before sowing to enable cultivation of wheat in more area and farmers can also get reasonable compensation for their labour.
Speaking on this occasion, Agriculture Secretary, Punjab Ahmad Aziz Tarar said that Agriculture Department is providing subsidy of Rs.1200 per bag on the seeds of approved varieties of wheat and exhibition plots, seminars and use of print and electronic media to introduce modern production technology among the farmers is being used effectively. He added that we have to achieve self-sufficiency in wheat. For this purpose, students should go door to door and provide technical guidance to the farmers so that food security can be ensured in the country.
In the ceremony, Vice Chancellor of Agriculture University Dr. Iqar Ahmad Khan, Vice Chancellor of Aird Agriculture University. Rawalpindi Qamar-ul-Zaman Dr. Anjum Ali Director General Agriculture (Extension) and other speakers also addressed.
On this occasion, Provincial Minister of Agriculture Punjab distributed key of new vehicles to agricultural extension officers for wheat cultivation campaign so that these officers can provide field services to the farmers.
In the ceremony, Director of Agricultural Information Punjab Muhammad Rafiq Akhtar, agriculture extension officers and media. A large number of representatives, farmers, university teachers and students participated.
