Rice growers to get subsidy

SIALKOT: A five-year project under Agriculture Emergency, a national programme for higher profitability through increased rice produce, has been launched in 15 rice growing districts of Punjab costing Rs 6.63 billion.

Under the programme the government will provide subsidy to paddy growers belonging to rice growing districts for obtaining authenticated paddy seed.

Rice growers have been advised to contact local agriculture department for registration, sources in Agriculture department told reporters.

It was learnt that special attention would be focused on promoting mechanized farming in these districts. Under national agriculture emergency efforts would be made for timely sowing of identified ecologically best varieties by promoting direct seedling of rice drill in these districts. The mechanized transplanting of rice nurseries will replace the outdated manual transplanting. The project was being carried out in Sialkot, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Okara, Hafizabad, Nankana Sahib, Bahawalnagar, Jhang, Narowal, Kasur, Mandi Bahauddin, Chiniot, Gujrat, Lahore, and Faisalabad districts.