Target set to cultivate 20mln tonnes of wheat this year: minister

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LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Agriculture, Naeem Akhtar Khan Bhabha has said that the provincial government has set a target of wheat cultivation on 16.4 million acre land to achieve a yield of 20 million tonnes this year.

While chairing a high-level meeting of the Agriculture Department here on Thursday, Naeem Akhtar Khan Bhabha disclosed that the Agriculture Department has planned to launch a scheme in 12 districts of the province where cultivators would be provided gypsum on half rate to curb problems of water logging and salinity.

He also expressed satisfaction over splendid outcome of ‘Kissan Package’ and said that for the first time, the local farmer has developed a strong sense of security as the Punjab government is paying coordinated attention on the agri-economy.

The provincial minister said that the government is giving 80 per cent subsidy to the farmers to install solar tube wells who use drip and sprinkles irrigation facility. Last year 130 solar tube wells were installed on 1,500 acre arable land whereas the same solar system would be installed on a further 10 thousand acre area. This scheme is available for all districts with users of drip and sprinkles facility.