Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday said his government aims to implement several initiatives to enhance the overall agricultural system in the province.
During a joint meeting of the agriculture, food and irrigation departments he presided over at the CM House, Shah said the initiatives include farm mechanisation and subsidies on agricultural inputs for wheat and rice crops, for which he directed the agriculture department to develop a four-year package for small growers.
He directed the departments to collaborate in educating growers about latest technology, water availability and modern farming practices. He also highlighted the importance of understanding water availability for crop planning, and emphasised that growers focus on cultivating profitable crops.
He emphasised that under farm mechanisation, laser land levelling and manual seeder hand pushers be introduced for small growers with holdings of an acre to 25 acres. He said land levelling should be offered on a rental basis to growers of that size.
He also remarked that subsidies on agricultural inputs for wheat and rice crops can be provided, particularly for seeds, fertilisers and herbicides/pesticides, aimed at small growers (having an acre to 25 acres).
He highlighted that levelling land using laser technology can conserve 20 per cent to 30 per cent of irrigation water. This approach can also yield an increase of six per cent to 10 per cent, while reducing irrigation time by 50 per cent.
He said that the overall result would be a 20 per cent boost in income, along with the prevention of waterlogging and salinity, and a more balanced use of agricultural inputs. Regarding the manual seeder hand push planter, he said that a study shows this tool can reduce planting time and labour by 20 per cent to 30 per cent.
It would ensure 90 per cent to 95 per cent accuracy in seed placement and spacing, leading to a 40 per cent to 50 per cent decrease in physical strain on farmers. Additionally, using this planter can increase crop yields by 10 per cent to 20 per cent, reduce soil disturbance and erosion by 20 per cent to 30 per cent, and lower planting costs by five per cent to 25 per cent.
The meeting was informed that there are 3,552,980 acres in the province that are owned by holders with an acre to 25 acres. To level these 3.5 million acres, 2,961 laser levellers would be needed over three years.
The meeting was told that the overall impact of the subsidy on agricultural inputs can lead to a 13 per cent increase in the production of wheat and rice crops through seed subsidies.
It can also lead to a five per cent increase in production from DAP and urea subsidies, and a five per cent increase in production from herbicide and pesticide subsidies. The meeting was also informed that wheat is cultivated in Sindh over an area of 3.1 million acres, while rice covers two million acres, requiring 3.8 million maunds of seed for wheat and 0.99 million maunds for rice.
Against this requirement, 3.2 million maunds of wheat seed and 0.942 million maunds of rice seed are available in the market, indicating a shortfall of 0.6 million maunds of wheat and 45,423 maunds of rice seeds. Shah instructed the agriculture department to ensure the availability of the necessary certified seed.
He also instructed the agriculture, food and irrigation departments to collaborate with each other effectively, as this collaboration is essential to inform and educate growers about the latest technology, water availability and modern farming practices in a timely manner.
“It is important for growers to be aware of water availability so they can plan their crops accordingly,” he emphasised. He also stressed that growers understand which crops have market value to ensure they cultivate those that are profitable.