Wheat cultivation target: Minister for utilisation of all resources

LAHORE: The Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, while reviewing the progress on wheat cultivation in Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan Divisions, has directed the utilization of all possible resources to achieve the wheat cultivation target in the province.

The wheat sowing target has been set at 1.776 million acres for Multan Division, while for DG Khan Division the target is 2.281 million acres. For the whole province, this season, the provincial government has set the wheat sowing target at 16.5 million acres. As per sources in the provincial agriculture department, 100% wheat sowing on government lands is being ensured.

The Minister noted that the current wheat sowing campaign is highly encouraging and that all stakeholders are playing an active and practical role. He further said that wheat is indispensable for national food security, and the government is taking urgent measures in this regard.

Kirmani was chairing a joint review meeting on wheat cultivation for Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan Divisions. The meeting was attended by Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, Special Secretary Agriculture South Punjab Sarfaraz Ahmed Magassi, Commissioner Multan Amir Kareem Khan, Deputy Commissioner Multan Waseem Hamid Sindhu, Naveed Asmat Kahloon, farmers Syed Hassan Raza, Sardar Jamil-ur-Rehman Buzdar, Muhammad Ilyas, and other relevant officers.

Addressing the meeting, the Minister said that, as per the special instructions of the Chief Minister Punjab, all possible resources are being utilized to achieve the set target for wheat cultivation in the province. Later, the Minister also attended the High-Power Green Tractors distribution ceremony in Multan. The Minister informed that 10,000 high-power tractors are being provided to farmers in Punjab on subsidy, with 1,087 tractors currently being distributed in Multan Division.

Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo briefed that under the Kisan Card; more than 600,000 farmers have so far been provided interest-free loans exceeding Rs. 90 billion. He said that Kisan Card holders become eligible for fresh loans within just 24 hours after depositing their due repayments.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025