The Punjab government has decided to set up Farmers Facilitation Centres in every tehsil for the provision of high quality pesticides to growers at a controlled rate.
These centres will accommodate counters of known pesticide companies for the convenience of farmers.
The decision came at a meeting presided over by the Chief Secretary Punjab at the Civil Secretariat here on Monday.
The meeting reviewed the ongoing crackdown against spurious pesticides, availability of fertilizers, and targets for cotton cultivation. It also decided to start a large-scale sample testing across the province to check the quality of pesticides. The chief secretary directed that the crackdown on those involved in the business of spurious pesticides be intensified.
The Secretary Agriculture gave a detailed briefing at the meeting. He said that 90 percent of the target of cotton cultivation has been achieved.
He said that a conference was held in Multan to increase awareness about the effective use of pesticides.
He said that a deadline of 48 hours has been set for the submission of sample testing reports.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo has said that Cotton Advisory Expert Group is being established in every division for the better management of cotton crop and providing technical guidance to farmers.
Sahoo while presiding over a meeting at Civil Secretariat on Monday for the establishment of Cotton Advisory Group and Farmer Facilitation Centres at divisional level said that academia, scientists, industry, ginners and APTMA representatives will be involved and they will play their role in increasing cotton per acre yield through this group.
