A mega farmer gathering was organised in a local marquee at Kotlia Bawa Faqir Chand, tehsil Pasrur, which focused on the mitigation harmful effects of pesticide residues on rice and vegetables. The gathering was attended by Additional Secretary Agriculture (Task Force) Shabbir Ahmed Khan, Director General Agriculture (Pest Warning) Dr. Amir Rasool, Director General Agriculture (Extension) Chaudhry Abdul Hameed, Director Agriculture (Extension) Gujranwala Dr. Javed Iqbal, Director Agriculture (Extension) Pasrur Sajjad Haider, Deputy Director (DD) Agriculture (Extension) Sialkot Dr. Rana Qurban, Assistant Director (AD) Agriculture (Extension) Daska Dr. Irshad Assistant, Rice Export Association of Pakistan (REAP), Rice Research Institute (RRI) representatives of Kala Shah Kaku, Agriculture Officers (Extension) Plant Protection and a large number of farmers and stakeholders.
Detailed lectures were delivered about the approved varieties of rice, achieving production free from residues of toxins, especially paddy, smog and its prevention, harmful insects of paddy, diseases, their identification and treatment, problems of paddy export, toxic residues. Lectures were also delivered on reducing pesticide residues on rice and vegetables, PHI, smog problems and other current issues.
The speakers also briefed the farmers about the harms of crop residue burning and created awareness about producing paddy free from toxins. At the end of the event, Director General Pest Warning Dr. Amir Rasool said that by adopting an integrated counter-measure, “selection and use of appropriate poisons at the appropriate time” and keeping in mind PHI in all cases, the use of poisons should always be the last option.—APP
