LAHORE: The Punjab government has set a target of 700,000 acres for early cotton sowing next season, aiming to enhance per-acre yield and stabilize overall cotton output amid broader efforts to revitalize the province’s cotton economy.
This was stated by Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo while chairing a meeting at Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Agricultural University in Multan, where an action plan for early cotton cultivation was finalized.
He said early cotton would be promoted in the divisions of Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad and Sahiwal, while only seasonal cotton would be cultivated in the Bahawalpur Division, in line with agro-climatic suitability and crop planning strategy.
The meeting was attended by Special Secretary Agriculture (South Punjab) Sarfaraz Hussain Magsi, Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Asif Ali, Additional Secretary Task Force Shabbir Ahmad Khan, Director Generals of the Agriculture Department Punjab — Abdul Hameed, Naveed Asmat Kahloon, Dr Aamir Rasool, Dr Sajid ur Rehman and Dr Abdul Qayyum — along with Consultant Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali, President Kisan Ittehad Khalid Mahmood Khokhar, Syed Hassan Raza, Dr Muhammad Iqbal Bandesha, Asif Majeed and Waheed Arshad (PCGA), besides other officers and cotton growers.
The secretary directed that only certified seed of approved varieties be used for early sowing to ensure variety purity and optimal germination. He added that the registration process of farmers for early cotton cultivation had been completed, enabling better monitoring and extension support.
Highlighting long-term structural initiatives, Sahoo said a project worth approximately Rs2 billion is under implementation to develop Bahawalpur Division into a “Cotton Valley,” aimed at strengthening the cotton value chain from production to ginning and processing. He stressed that all stakeholders — including extension services, researchers, seed companies and growers — must play an active role in meeting the sowing and production targets.
The meeting also reviewed the current wheat crop situation. The secretary informed participants that independent sources had confirmed wheat cultivation on more than 16.5 million acres across Punjab and, according to field reports, the crop condition remains satisfactory to excellent at this stage. He said special instructions had been issued to field formations to ensure proper crop management during the critical growth phase.
Later, the secretary visited the Model Agriculture Mall in Multan, where he reviewed operational activities and issued necessary directions to concerned officers to further streamline farmer facilitation services.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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