Punjab Doubles Amount Of Subsidized Wheat Seed: Dr. Ishtiaq

Director General of Agriculture (Extension) Punjab, Dr. Ishtiaq Hassan, on Wednesday said that the Punjab government has doubled the provision of subsidized certified seed for the all-important staple crop of wheat this season

ATTOCK, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Oct, 2023) Director General of Agriculture (Extension) Punjab, Dr. Ishtiaq Hassan, on Wednesday said that the Punjab government has doubled the provision of subsidized certified seed for the all-important staple crop of wheat this season.

While addressing a one-day wheat seminar for farmers, he said that at least 1.2 million certified wheat seed bags, each weighing 50kg, will be provided to the farmers at the subsidized rate of Rs 1500 per bag. Last year, the subsidy was provided for only 600,000 seed bags.

Dr. Ishtiaq further said that the government has also decided to provide one million packs of weedicides at a subsidy of Rs 500 per pack to ensure the maximum yield while minimizing the chances of grain imports this season.

He said as an added incentive, a prize of an 85 HP tractor worth Rs4.5 million will be given to the wheat grower who achieves the best per-acre yield at the provincial level.

Additionally, second and third position holders will get 75HP and 50HP tractors worth Rs3.5m and Rs2.5m, respectively, while at the district level, the top three growers will get cash prizes of Rs1m, Rs0.8m, and Rs0.5m.

During the event, numerous stalls were set up to raise awareness among farmers, and representatives from various banks were present to offer farmers loans on favorable terms and conditions as per the State Bank's directives.

Deputy Commissioner Attock, Rao Atif Raza, and AC Hazro Kamran Ashraf, Deputy Director Agriculture (Extension) Attock Shakeel Ahmed, Deputy Director Agriculture (Extension) Rawalpindi Sadia Bano, Assistant Director Agriculture (Extension) Hazro Dr.

Javed Ahmed, ADA Hazro Samina Fatima, Chef Coordinator at the Attock Press Club, Regd. Nisar Ali Khan, along with a substantial gathering of agricultural scientists and farmers, also attended the seminar.

Deputy Commissioner Attock, Rao Atif Raza, emphasized the critical role of wheat as a staple food in Pakistan and its

significant impact on the country's economy.

He highlighted the government's efforts to enhance agricultural production through modern technology and the digitization of cultivable land.

Director Agriculture (Extension) Shahid Iftikhar Bukhari underscored the launch of a robust campaign to increase wheat production in the Rawalpindi division, focusing on farmer days and meetings to educate farmers.

Dr. Javed Ahmed, Director of the Research Institute of Wheat, encouraged farmers to follow the Agriculture Department's recommendations, emphasizing the use of fungicide poison when cultivating wheat seeds.

Director of the Institute of Research on Soil and Water in Chakwal, Dr. Obaid-ur-Rehman, informed participants about fertilizer recommendations for wheat cultivation, urging farmers in rainfed areas to prepare for wheat cultivation as the planting season approaches.

APP/nak