KP plans Rs1.2b free seed package for farmers

PESHAWAR: Apparently as a planned bid to offset the effects of the much-publicised Kissan Package of the federal government, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has finalised Rs1.2 billion free-seed distribution package for small farmers and landowners during the current wheat sowing season.
The provincial government has completed all formalities for the distribution of free-of-cost certified and chemically-treated wheat seed and the chief minister would formally inaugurate its distribution next week.
The documents show that the free-seed distribution initiative is a three-year package, on which the provincial government would spend Rs3.7 billion to benefit more than one million farmers and landowners with the landholdings of one to 12.5 acres.
The provincial government, according to the documents, has already formed district-level committees to identify the deserving farmers for the free-seed. The wheat seed demand in the province has increased up to 20,000 tons, while the provincial government has booked 16,300 tons wheat seed with the Punjab Seed Corporation.
The wheat seed varieties that would be distributed in the province include Pirsabak 2013, Hashma, Tatara, Faisalabad 2008, Millat 2011, Punjab 2011, Aas and Aari.
Secretary Agriculture and Livestock Jameel Ahmed, while responding to the impression that the package was designed to counterbalance the federal government initiative, told The News that the package of the provincial government had nothing to do with any initiative of the federal government. It was rather conceived with manifold objectives, he added.
He said the provincial government was mindful of the fact that the farmers still made up 60 percent of the province’s population and like other provinces agriculture sector was providing 80 percent of the employment in the province.
The senior official added the package would increase the incremental income of farmers in the province, besides saving over Rs5.6 billion to the province over the next three years.It would not only increase the wheat production in the province, but would also lessen province’s dependence on Punjab for wheat and flour.
Jameel Ahmed said that seed farms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa met only 5percent of the seed needs of the province, while the remaining needs are fulfilled from Punjab and elsewhere.He added that committees had been formed for equitable distribution of the quality, certified and chemically-treated seed and the elected kissan councillors are authorised to attest the applications seeking free wheat seed.
The official said the distribution for the current season was exempted from the Kissan Smart Card and Model Farm Services membership and the committees would approve seed distribution to the small farmers only after the verification of patwaris and attestation of kissan councillors.
The secretary agriculture said the package would not only increase wheat production in the province, but would also go a long way in inculcating a culture of production and sowing of certified and chemically-treated seed as good agriculture practice in the province.
Vice-Chairman Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Agriculture Muhammad Zahir Khan, though welcomed the seed package, he asked the authorities concerned to expedite the distribution if they planned to provide early variety seed. He said the provincial government should also exert pressure on the sugar mills to start own factories as the sugarcane harvesting season had already set in.