90pc wheat sowing completed in Punjab

M RAFIQUE GORAYA

LAHORE: Wheat crop has been sown over 15 million acres till 11th December in Punjab which is 90 percent of the target area for Kharif crop season 2011-12, Director General Agriculture Extension Services, Dr Anjum Ali told Business Recorder.

He said the Punjab government had set a target to sow wheat crop over 16.9 million acres this year to produce 22 million tons of wheat, which is the staple food of the nation. The late wheat sowing is in full swing in the cotton growing areas, which is likely to be completed in next ten days

He said mainly dry weather has been reported from the agricultural plains of Punjab since 1st December. The present day temperature of 24 Celsius is good for the crop. However according to met office parts of Punjab including Lahore, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur may experience dense and prolonged foggy conditions till 20th December, he added. Dr Ajum Ali advised the farmers to irrigate the early sown crops as per requirement due to dry weather and complete sowing up to 15th of December to get maximum yield. In case of late sowing, recommended verities should be cultivated to minimise the loss in yield.

He further advised the farmers to use DAP fertiliser and remove weeds from standing crops as weeds consume considerable moisture and food from the field. As a result considerable loss in yield occurs every year. However operations against weeds should be started using weedicides or manually when the crop completely covers the field, he added.