Next season: ‘Paddy crop on 4.4m acres planned’

LAHORE: As much as 4.44 million acres will be brought under paddy cultivation in the year 2015-16, Agriculture Department Information Director Rafiq Akhtar said on Sunday. He said production target for the year was 3.5 million tones. He urged paddy farmers to use seed varieties certified by the Agriculture Department to ensure maximum per acre yield. He said the certified varieties included Super Basmati, Basmati-370,Basmati-385, Basmati Pak (Kernal Basmati), Basmati-2000, Basmati-515, PS-2, PK-386 and Basmati-198.He said paddy sowing should start in Sahiwal and Okara at the start of June and could continue till June 20.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2015.