A tasks force has approved several proposals to increase agricultural productivity, including promotion of certified seeds of approved varieties to increase wheat and cotton production, Punjab Soil Fertility Restoration Programme to increase soil fertility, 50 per cent subsidy to small farmers for 60 bags of gypsum and make 50,000 acres of barren land in Punjab arable.
Presiding over the third meeting of the Agriculture Task Force on Monday, Caretaker Punjab Minister for Industries and Commerce SM Tanvir said there was a great need to change the agriculture sector from traditional methods of farming to modern mechanised farming to increase per acre yield of major crops.
He said, "Public-private sector has to work together to improve the agricultural value chain for enhancing agricultural exports." Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi constituted the agricultural task force under his own supervision.
SM Tanvir ordered for starting a pilot project in Mankira, Chobara and Noorpur tehsils for resettlement of Thal, to build five new small dams in Potohar region and water testing lab at the tehsil level in Punjab. He said that a state-of-the-art research centre would be built in Faisalabad with the cooperation of China to promote agricultural research.
The provincial minister also reviewed the proposals for providing warehousing, cold storage and processing facilities to small farmers in Punjab under public-private partnership.
On this occasion, Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo said that cotton and wheat were cash crops for the country. Steps were being taken under an effective strategy for getting per acre higher production of these crops to achieve the production targets and earn foreign exchange for the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 13th, 2023.
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