Wheat harvesting, threshing in full swing in Potohar

ISLAMABAD: The wheat crop harvesting and threshing was in full swing in the Potohar region, like other parts of the country, due to the expected week-long dry weather predictions by the weather experts, aiming at preventing the crop from any damage.

“The farmers are interested in harvesting their wheat crop as soon as possible to avoid any harm from the unpredictable rains in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad due to the changing weather patterns,” said an official of Food Department Punjab in his telephonic talk with this agency.

He said wheat crop on 290,000 acres of land in Rawalpindi region provides around 275.26000 tons wheat every year.

Replying to a question, he said that wheat harvesting has started in all parts of the Potohar region including Phulgaran, Shah Allah Ditta, Rawat, Kallar Syedan, Lohi Bher, Kahuta, Sagri, Raqqa, Chak Beli Khan, Fatehjang, Tarnol, Golra, Gujar Khan, Chatta Bakhtawar, Sihala, Ari Syedan and Mandra.

He said the farmers started collection of bardana or gunny bags at the advent of the month of April from 384 procurement centres established by the food department while the physical procurement of wheat started from a mid of the month.

A prominent farmer from the Potohar Region, Raja Zubair said that the government has also increased the rate of wheat support price and fixed it Rs1, 800 per 40 kilo gram which to him is not less than any reward for farmers.