15 rice districts to receive Rs6.63b

Agriculture dept sources say that special attention would be given to promoting mechanised farming

SIALKOT: A five-year programme to increase rice production has been launched in the 15 rice-growing districts of Punjab with an estimated cost of Rs6.63 billion.

Agriculture department sources said on Thursday that under the programme special attention would be given initially to promoting mechanised farming.

It was learned that mechanised transplanting would replace the outdated manual process. The project will be implemented in Sialkot, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Okara, Hafizabad, Nankana Sahib, Bahawalnager, Jhang, Narowal, Kasur, Mandi Bahauddin, Chiniot, Gujrat, Lahore and Faisalabad districts.

Moreover, Basmati rice and other varieties will be cultivated on 70,000 acres of land. Sources revealed that the government would provide machines to encourage mechanised farming to increase the yield.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2020.