Farmers urged to focus on ‘high-value crops’

Those offering higher returns include cotton, maize, medicinal plants

MULTAN:

Agriculture experts urged farmers to focus on high value crops like cotton, as it will not only help save foreign exchange but will bring economic change in the lives of growers. Agriculture experts and assistant directors agriculture Rana Abbas and Dr Qaisar briefed the media that "cotton, once again, emerged as a high value crop due to attractive prices during the season. Nowadays, the price of cotton is high in terms of profitability".

The ADs hoped that the price of cotton would continue to offer huge returns to farmers in the future. They additionally remarked that maize also became a high value crop and farmers were earning a handsome profit by cultivating the crop in specific areas of south Punjab.

They added that some farmers also focused on cultivating the "Sagwan tree," whose wood is valued at nearly Rs12,000 per cubic foot. Both experts observed that the "Sagwan" tree matured after about 10 to 15 years. They further said that, "medicinal plants, in connection with the vision to promote high value crops, have been cultivated at an area of over 1000 kanals in the districts of Multan, Khanewal and Bahawalpur.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2022.