More Potato Production Expected This Year: Minister

Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Nauman Ahmed Langrial Monday said that a better potato crop was expected this year

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Mar, 2020 ) :Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Nauman Ahmed Langrial Monday said that a better potato crop was expected this year.

In a media statement, he said that potato crop was grown on over 450,000 acres of land in Punjab last year, and more than four million tonnes of the produce was yielded. He said that per acre potato production in the country had been eight tonnes on an average, while other countries had been yielding 10 to 12 tonnes per acre crop.

The minister said that due to sincere efforts of the provincial government, potato was also being exported.

He said that the Punjab government would ensure due reward to the potato farmers for their labour. He said the government was continuously monitoring prices of essential items so that the prices of vegetables could be kept within purchase power of the common man.

The minister promised that during the holy month of Ramazan, the government would not allow price-hike of agricultural products including all vegetables. A zero-tolerance policy against hoarding of agricultural products would be put in place and implementation of price control mechanism would be ensured, he added.