LAHORE: The Punjab,has achieved 98 percent wheat sowing target,against the total target of 16892.440 thousand acres in the province.
Agriculture Minister Ahmad Ali Aulakh told APP here Sunday that overall an area of 16475.735 thousand acres of land has so far been brought under wheat cultivation in rainfed zone of Rawalpindi division, rice mixed zone, cotton zone and other areas of the 35 districts of the province.
He said Jhelum, Khushab, Bhakkar, Jhang, T.T Singh, Narowal, Sheikhupura, Okara, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Multan, Khanewal, Layyah, DG Khan and Bahawalpur districts have surpassed the 100 percent target while other remaining districts are more than an aggregate of 95 percent except Chakwal and Attock districts.
Rawalpindi, Jhelum and Gujranwala districts have been ranked the best for achieving 122pc,118pc and 106pc target of wheat cultivation.
He said that all desirous farmers are being granted on the spot loans on easy terms and condition under one window operation.
He said billions of rupees subsidy is being given to growers for the purchase of agriculture implements including tractors.
Ahmad Ali Aulakh on the special directive of the Chief Minister Punjab, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, fertilizers (Phosphatic and Nitrogenous) essentially needed for wheat sowing has been made available to all farmers at their door-steps. He hoped that production target would be met through proper crop management and plant protection.
He said under plant protection programme, seeds have been treated before sowing with confider/pestidor and steps have also been taken at tahsil level to check adulteration.
He said that plant protection measures would be taken according to the pest and disease situation by adopting integrated pest management approach.
The Minister said weeds cause damage to wheat crops considerably.
A campaign would be launched for weed control by motivating the farmers to adopt both culturable and chemical methods. He said efforts would also be made to bring as much as possible culturable waste land lying in different parts of the province especially the Riverine areas for increasing wheat production through horizontal expansion of acreage.
Ahmad Ali Aulakh said that availability of canal water for irrigation is another important factor for timely sowing of wheat, proper tillage and application of fertilizers.
The Irrigation Department has been asked accordingly to fully ensure the sanctioned water discharge for each outlet including the tails is made available.
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