FAISALABAD: University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan has said that per acre wheat production in Punjab can be doubled easily by adopting the recommendations of agricultural experts. Talking to the farmers' convention at Iqbal Auditorium as part of five-day UAF Rabi festival kicked off on Monday, he said the province was getting only 30 maunds wheat per acre against the potential of 70 maunds in every tehsil.
He said that timely sowing of crops, adoption of best varieties, balanced usage of fertilizer, soil analysis and following the recommendation of agricultural experts were imperative to increase the agricultural yield and ensure the food security.
He said the Kisan Package was a hallmark step that would address the woes of the farming community.
Talking about the cotton, he said that Pakistan and India were producing 14 million bales each, a couple of years ago. But now, in Pakistan, the cotton yield had reduced to 11 million bales and in India, it had surged to 35 million bales, he added.
He said that lack of sophisticated agricultural practices and malpractices of seeds were hampering the process of bearing the fruits from the potential.
Talking about edible oil, he said, "We are importing the oil worth 3.5 billion. If we ensure the promotion of oil seed crops, we can not only overcome the import but also can fetch the foreign exchange."
He said that cattle markets had been revamped in Punjab and were bringing the tangible results.
Dean Faculty of Agriculture Prof Dr Muhammad Arshad called for applying and promoting the latest practices of agriculture as per recommendation of agricultural experts in order to increase the productivity.
He said that the population was increasing with a large pace whereas land and natural resources were depleting. Dean Faculty of Food Nutrition and Home Sciences Prof Dr Masood Sadiq Butt said that awareness must be raised among the people about the balanced usage of diet.
Dean Faculty of Social Sciences Prof Dr Iqbal Zafar called for adopting the measures advised by the agricultural experts.
Agri Engineering Dean Prof Dr Allah Bukhsh said that water efficient technological must be used by the farming community.
Dean Faculty of Sciences Muhammad Javed said that the UAF had been holding the spring festival for the last eight years in order to ensure the interaction of the farming community with agricultural experts and policy makers so that there issues could be addressed effectively.
Dean Veterinary Sciences Prof Dr Zafar Iqbal and Dean Animal Sciences Prof Dr Muhammad Sarwer said that per animal milk production in the country was very low compared to the developed nation.
He called for adopting the measures at par with the international standards.
On November 24, the DICE contest will be held at the UAF that will be chaired by Punjab Governor Rafique Rajwana.
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