Record wheat of 4mn metric tonnes procured this year: Nauman Langrial

LAHORE: Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Nauman Ahmed Langrial said on Tuesday that this year for first time in the history of Punjab, four million metric tonnes of wheat had been procured from farmers.

Addressing a press conference at Agriculture House, he thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar for extending all possible cooperation towards agriculture sector as a result of which the sector was improving day by day.

He said that under Prime Minister Agriculture Emergency Programme work was underway on various projects worth Rs 300 billion.

The minister said that Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had approved agriculture package of above Rs 56 billion for the prosperity of farmers and agriculture sector.

He said that this year 1023000 metric tonnes more wheat had been produced as compared to that of previous year, whereas 53,000 metric tonnes of more yield had been obtained from gram crop as well.

He said that effective steps were being taken to improve crops, besides mechanization and markets so that farmers could get good price of their produce.

He said that agriculture department had started operation against Locust in February/March 2019 facing this challenge in Cholistan..

The minister said that Federal Ministry Food and Security, National Disaster Management Authority, Punjab Disaster Management Authority and Agriculture department were working collectively to combat locust. NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal had acknowledged the efforts of Punjab government in controlling locust.

He highlighted that even during Eid-ul-Fitr holidays staff of agriculture department worked dedicatedly along with its helping hands to get rid of locust,adding that currently situation in Punjab was not threatening.

Agriculture minister said that agriculture department special teams were carrying out spray in locust affected areas of 25 districts in Punjab.

More than 75,000 litres of pesticide had been sprayed on over 700,000 acres of land to control locust attack. He said, "Farmers should immediately contact agriculture department if locust is observed."