Advisory Issued For Potato Harvesting In Faisalabad

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published January 26, 2023 | 08:54 PM

The agriculture experts have advised the potato growers to take full care for their crops while harvesting it and use latest techniques to save production from pro and post harvest losses

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Jan, 2023 ) :The agriculture experts have advised the potato growers to take full care for their crops while harvesting it and use latest techniques to save production from pro and post harvest losses.

A spokesman of Agriculture (Extension) Department said here on Thursday that potato was the fourth major crop of Pakistan after wheat, rice and maize and it was playing pivotal role to cater to domestic food needs at a large extent.

The farmers could get potato production three times in a year through better management, he added.

He said that the potato crop cultivated during autumn could be harvested from January 20 to February 15. "This crop takes 100 to 120 days for full growth. Therefore, the farmers should be very cautious for harvesting this crop as slow-moving aphid (sust taila) can attack it during beginning of February", he said, adding that the farmers should cut all branches of the crops if Aphid attack was witnessed and after 10 to 15 days, they should also harvest entire potato crop from the field.

After harvesting, the farmers should separate potato seeds and pack it in jute bags. Each seed of potato should be 35 to 55 millimeter and it should be stored in cold storage after packing in bags or crates, he added.

Agri spokesman further said that potato was very important crop and the farmers should not show any negligence, lethargy or carelessness at any stage during harvesting and packing potato crop, otherwise, they would have to face colossal loss in shape of ruining production due to different reasons.

The growers should harvest of potato crop when the color of potato plants became yellow and its leaves started falling on the ground. Watering of the crop should also be stopped 15 days before harvesting, he added.