Provincial Minister for Agriculture Dr Farrukh Javed Friday inaugurated provision of 100,000 free bags of wheat seeds to the farmers on behalf of Punjab government at Punjab Seed Corporation Sahiwal Plant.
Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the recommendations of Agriculture Minister Dr Farrukh Javed accorded approval to provide free 1,00,000 bags of high quality seed of wheat to the farmers after which transparent distribution of 1,00,000 bag seeds of wheat among famers has been formally inaugurated.
Punjab Seed Corporation Managing Director Khaqan Babar, Director General Agriculture (Extension) Dr Muhammad Anjam Ali, Deputy Managing Director Punjab Seed Corporation Dr Aslam Nasir and other officers besides a large number of farmers were present on the occasion.
Addressing on the occasion, the minister said the present government is farmer-friendly and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced a package of Rs 341 billion for farmers and agriculture and process of transparent distribution among farmers has also been started.
Replying to a question, the minister said that cultivation of 1,00,000 bag seeds of wheat would be equal to crop of 500,0000 bags which will result in raising the living standard of the farmers and acquiring the target of self-sufficiency in wheat production.
Javed said the government is implementing a package of billions of rupees for increasing agriculture production and reducing financial difficulties of the farmers. He said that under this programme, 100,000 bag seeds will be provided to wheat growers throughout the province and target of increasing 30 maund per acre wheat production to 70 to 80 maund per acre will be achieved. He said that under this programme, four bags of wheat seeds will be provided to one cultivator of every village who will provide pure seeds to other farmers of his village on the preparation of crop.
He said that the target of government is to increase production of wheat to 100 maund per acre for which clean and healthy seeds are of very importance. The minister said that subsidized amount of Rs 40 billion is being distributed among farmers of rice and cotton to compensate their financial losses. At the end of the function, bags of free seeds were distributed among the cultivators.
