Punjab, Secretary Agriculture Iftikhar Ali Sahu, Saturday said his government has achieved 73 percent cotton cultivation targets under the cotton revival program by offering subsidies to the farmers on quality seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.
The caretaker Punjab CM Mohsin Naqvi had issued orders for additional cultivation and production of cotton on a war footing basis that lead to enhancement in the production, said the secretary while presiding over a meeting here.
The Punjab government, he said had already announced to give six months’ salary as a reward to the concerned departments of the districts over meeting the cotton cultivation target and one year’s salary over the production target.
Likewise, special rewards will also be given to farmers for bumper per-acre cotton production.
Iftikhar said the minimum support price of cotton has been fixed at Rs 8500.
He directed the agriculture extension officers to remain in direct contact with the cotton farmers.
Agriculture Secretary directed a crackdown against water pilferers that will help cultivation on millions of acres of land. 53,000 cusecs of water were being given to the canals of South Punjab.
Secretary Irrigation Wasif Khursheed said his department was providing more than its share of water to South Punjab on a priority basis so that cotton could be sown in the maximum area.
There is a shortage of more than 27 percent but despite it, 53,000 cusecs of water are being given to the canals of South Punjab.
Secretary South Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel said that agriculture officers and staff were going to villages and giving awareness about cotton cultivation. Cotton is white gold and an important source of foreign exchange.
The climate is also generally good and favorable for cotton cultivation, he added.—APP
