95pc wheat sowing completed

LAHORE: Wheat sowing has been completed at 95 per cent of targeted area in Punjab so far.

It was informed in a video link review meeting of wheat sowing and production targets of all provinces held under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhr Imam.

Minister for Agriculture Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi and Director General Agriculture (Extension) Punjab Dr Anjum Ali represented Punjab. Minister Jahania Gardezi informed the meeting that 95pc of the total wheat sowing target has been achieved in Punjab province so far. He also said that the Federal Committee on Agriculture had set a target of 16.2 million acres for Punjab whereas ‘we have increased it to 16.7 million acres so that the target can be achieved’.

He said except Sargodha and Sahiwal divisions, all other divisions have come close to achieve the target of wheat cultivation till date. Referring to the supply below the quota set by Punjab, the minister said that Punjab's quota is 70pc of the total production of urea fertilizer.

He said Punjab was being provided 28pc less water by Irsa due to which it was facing water shortage during Rabi.

Due to lack of rains this year, there are problems in growing wheat in rain-fed areas and achieving desired production targets. This year 1 million bags of approved varieties of wheat have been provided at a subsidy of Rs1,200 per bag and seeds of approved varieties of wheat are being sown on a total area of 10-million acres. Exhibition plots are being set up including holding of farmers' conventions, seminars and farmer gatherings on modern production technology of Rabi Crops. During the financial year 2021-22, under this scheme, modern agricultural machinery including modern agricultural machinery worth over Rs1 billion is being provided at 50pc subsidy for the promotion of mechanised wheat cultivation, the minister said.

The government is taking steps to ensure supply to the provinces as per the quota set by the government. Furthermore, operations are under way against the elements involved in black marketing of fertilizers across, the minister added.