Distribution of certified seed bags begins

100,000 bags will be distributed among farmers in selected villages


Our Correspondent November 13, 2015
100,000 bags will be distributed among farmers in selected villages. PHOTO: INP/FILE

LAHORE: Agriculture Minister Dr Farrukh Javed on Friday inaugurated a programme for distribution of 100,000 seed bags among farmers in select villages of the province.

The event was held at the Punjab Seed Corporation’s Sahiwal Plant following Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s approval for the programme.

Speaking to the gathering, the agriculture minister said the cultivation of certified seed distributed under the programme was expected to yield five million additional bags of wheat in the next crop cycle.

He said with the distribution of these seed bags per-acre production of wheat was expected to increase in the province from 30 maunds to between 70 to 80 maunds. The minister said under the programme one farmer each in 25,000 villages would get four seed bags. At the harvest of the crop, the farmer would be required to share seeds with other farmers in his village.

He said use of healthy seeds was crucial to increasing farm production in the province.

He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s announcement of Rs341 billion farmers’ package was a proof of the government’s commitment to the promotion of the rural economy. He said that by increasing farm productivity in the province the package would help solve financial difficulties of the farmers. The minister said transparency would be ensured in distribution of the seed bags.

He said distribution of Rs40 billion in subsidies to rice and cotton farmers separately would help compensate them for their recent losses. Punjab Seed Corporation Managing Director Khaqan Babar, Agriculture (Extension) Director General Muhammad Anjum Ali and Punjab Seed Corporation Deputy Managing Director Aslam Nasir were present at the ceremony. A large number of farmers from across the province were also present.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2015.

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