Punjab govt launches Rs1b project to boost oilseed yield

FAISALABAD: In a major initiative to reduce the country’s edible oil import bill, the Punjab government has launched a Rs1 billion project to increase the cultivation and per acre yield of oilseed crops.

The announcement was made by Dr Abid Mehmood, Chief Executive of the Punjab Agriculture Research Board, during a one-day international summit on sesame crop research, value addition and exports held at the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Faisalabad. Dr Abid stated that under this initiative, 592 model farms will be established across 17 districts of Punjab, including Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Sahiwal, Okara, Pakpattan, Bhakkar, Lodhran, Khanewal, Vehari, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Kot Addu, and Kasur. The program will financially support 1,000 farmers with Rs 30,000 each and provide subsidised modern machinery for the mechanical sowing and harvesting of oilseed crops.

Dr Sajidur Rehman, Chief Scientist of Punjab Agricultural Research, stated that Pakistan exported sesame worth Rs 350 million in the past ten months. The project aims to reduce post-harvest losses, enhance pest protection, and add value. To support farmers, 2,000 agricultural graduates will be hired as interns next fiscal year.

Dr Amir Rasool, Director General of Pest Warning, emphasised field-level technical assistance. Hafiz Saad ZBin Mustafa, focal person of the summit, announced that high-yield sesame varieties had been developed at AARI, and expos in major cities would be organised in collaboration with TDAP, exporters’ associations, and chambers of commerce to align product quality with international standards. Director Agriculture Extension Faisalabad Ch Khalid Mehmood added that modern irrigation systems would also be installed at these model farms.