‘90pc growers do not want children in farming’

FAISALABAD: Almost 90 per cent farmers do not want their children to continue farming, which is a matter of concern for future agriculture and food security, said UAF Vice-Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan.
Addressing a farmers’ convention at Iqbal Auditorium as part of five-day Rabi festival kicked off on Monday, he said that Punjab per acre wheat production could be doubled easily by adopting the recommendations of agriculture experts. The Punjab province is getting only 30 mounds wheat per acre against the potential of 70 mounds in every tehsil, he added. He said that timely sowing of crops, adoption of best varieties, balanced use of fertilizer, soil analysis and following recommendation of agricultural experts were imperative to increase the agricultural yield and to ensure the food security. He said that the Kisan package was a hallmark step of the government that would address woes of the farmers.
Talking about cotton, he said that Pakistan and India were producing 14 million bales each a couple of years ago. But now, in Pakistan, the cotton yield had reduced to 11 million bales and in India, it had surged to 35 million bales, he added.
Dean Faculty of Agriculture Dr Muhammad Arshad called for applying and promoting the latest practices of agriculture as per recommendations of agricultural experts to increase the productivity to fight hunger. He said that the population was increasing at a large pace whereas land and natural resources were depleting.
Dean Faculty of Food Nutrition and Home Sciences Dr Masood Sadiq Butt said that more than 50 per cent country population was facing the issue of malnutrition. He said that awareness must be raised among the people about the balanced use of diet.