Minister for steps to increase cotton production

LAHORE: Punjab Agriculture Department should ensure full implementation of the strategy formulated to increase cotton production for this Kharif season and all stakeholders have to play their pivotal role in this regard.

These views were expressed by Minister for Agriculture Syed Hussain Jahanian Gardezi on the occasion of the sixth meeting of the Cotton Planning Committee in Ministerial Block here on Thursday.

On this occasion, the minister directed a special team to monitor the seed certification. He said sowing data should be taken into consideration and the capacity of seed related labs should be increased. Minister for Agriculture, Punjab also said that pesticide companies should issue a certificate of authenticity of their products. He directed the Agriculture Information Department to upload a report on the intensity of pest attack in Punjab Cotton field, raids on various pesticide companies and their products on its website/ social media.

He directed for uploading the cotton production plan, IPM manual, pest attack reports and the outcome of all the meetings related to cotton so far on the website. Secretary Agriculture South Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel said that this time agriculture department of south Punjab is trying to increase the area under cotton cultivation to get good yield.

He emphasised on implementation of Pesticides Act in letter and spirit so that the blending can be reduced to a great extent. Saqib Ali said that he was personally supervising the entire cotton campaign and also visited different areas in this regard.