Wheat farmers awarded Rs600k in cash prizes

Around Rs600,000 worth of cash prizes were distributed among hardworking and persistent farmers who secured the top positons in the 2022-23 wheat production competition. Over 150 farmers from across the district participated in the competition.

A cheque for Rs300,000 was given to Ghulam Qadir from Tehsil Kehror Pakka, who secured first position by achieving production of 2.24 tons of wheat per acre. The second prize of Rs200,000 was given to Mohammad Ramzan from Hamidpur, who achieved an average of 1.87 tons per acre.

Similarly, the third place prize of Rs100,000 was presented to Abdul Razzaq, a farmer belonging to Chak No.349 WB Dunyapur, who achieved a production rate of 1.83 tons per acre.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Revenue, Syeda Amna Mododi, Additional Deputy Commissioner Finance and Planning, Amir Nazeer Kachhi, Assistant Commissioner Lodhran, Ashraf Saleh, Deputy Director Agriculture Toseh (Extension) and other agriculture officers were present at the prize giving ceremony.

Deputy Commissioner Lodhran, while instructing Agriculture Department officers, said that agriculture is the backbone of the country's economy and the government is focusing all its attention on the sector. He said that the farmers should be fully guided to achieve the desired results of cotton cultivation and consider every single ball of cotton valuable.

He added that the Department of Agriculture should leave no stone unturned in guiding and supporting the farmers and should ensure the full availability of quality agricultural inputs.

DC Abdul Rauf Mehr further said that farmers and growers had exceeded cotton cultivation targets in the district by 36 percent.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26^th, 2023.