LAHORE: Punjab government has allocated a huge sum of Rs 4 billion to tackle the white fly besides extending a subsidy of another Rs 4 billion for high quality seeds to enhance cotton production in the province.

'Revival of cotton in the country especially in Punjab is a gigantic task and all the stakeholders have to work collectively to meet this target,' said the Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Hussain Jehanian Gardezi while speaking to stakeholders during his visit to Bayer Research Centre near here on Monday.

The Minister held the climate change responsible of lower production of cotton in the country as according to him old seed technology is unable to face the wrath of climate change. He hoped that latest bio-technology seed will help combating different pests and diseases such as white fly, pink bollworm and others. These seeds are also helpful against different seeds thus bringing down the input cost and boosting the per acre yield.

He said prosperity of farmer and development of agriculture is the foremost priorities of the present government. 'Government intends to provide high quality certified seeds and bringing down the input cost,' he said and added that both the public and private sector have to work hand in hand for this purpose. The Minister announced to encourage the research work being carried out by the private sector.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020