LAHORE: Secretary Agriculture, Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo has said that the cotton crop is currently in a critical stage and for its better management the field staff of Agriculture Department is working side by side the farmers. In this regard, the District Administration is also supporting, so that the cotton production target can be achieved.
He added that cotton revival is a big challenge for which all stakeholders are working together. The Chief Minister, Punjab himself is supervising this campaign. This year, after the last several years, 4.627 million acres area of cotton has been brought under cultivation in the Punjab and is expected to produce more than 8.2 million bales.
Secretary Agriculture, Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo disclosed that the field staff of the Agriculture Department is performing duties as a cotton emergency for the entire month of August and in this regard, monitoring is going on to ensure compliance with the assigned responsibilities so that cotton per acre production can be increased. He further said that there is a need to be more alert considering the current weather situation. Negligence at this critical stage of cotton care will not be tolerated.
He instructed all the concerned field formations to increase the field visits and to increase the ongoing activities to guide the farmers. He also directed to ensure strict monitoring the availability of quality agricultural pesticides in the market at prescribed rates for reduction in the farmer’s cost of production. He said that for the better care of cotton, advisory is being delivered to the farmers at the district and divisional level and Lady Field Officers have been appointed for providing technical guidance to the women for picking cotton free from impurities.
Secretary Agriculture Punjab clarified that the services are being performed as a National spirit to achieve higher per acre production of cotton so that the country’s exports related to cotton and its products can be increased to make it possible to obtain foreign exchange.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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