Punjab Sets Ambitious Target for Wheat Cultivation: Minister of Agriculture Calls for Accelerated Efforts

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Punjab Sets Ambitious Target for Wheat Cultivation: Minister of Agriculture Calls for Accelerated Efforts

Provincial Meeting Reviews Wheat Cultivation Progress Across Divisions

Lahore: Under the chairmanship of Punjab Minister for Agriculture, Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, a divisional review meeting on wheat cultivation was held at the Agriculture House in Lahore. High-level officials, including Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, attended to assess the progress toward the province's wheat cultivation targets.

During the briefing, the Minister was informed that Punjab has set a goal to cultivate wheat on 16.5 million acres, with 7.091 million acres already sown. The performance of various divisions was also reviewed in detail. Sargodha Division, with a target of 1.74 million acres, has completed sowing on 633,000 acres; Sahiwal Division has cultivated wheat on 416,000 acres against a target of 920,000 acres; Multan Division on 630,000 acres out of 1.82 million; Dera Ghazi Khan on 1.141 million acres of a 2.294 million target; and Bahawalpur Division on 828,000 acres out of a 2.611 million target.

Minister Kirmani highlighted that the Punjab government is committed to supporting wheat cultivation and increasing production through targeted initiatives. He noted the announcement of a special package worth billions of rupees from the Chief Minister to provide modern agricultural facilities and comprehensive support to farmers. Under this package, farmers cultivating over 25 acres of wheat will be eligible for 1,000 tractors, while those with holdings between 12.5 and 25 acres will be eligible for 1,000 laser land levelers, distributed through a draw.

The Chief Minister has also mandated that wheat must be cultivated on all government land. This year, farmers with land between 1 and 12.5 acres can access interest-free loans via the Kisan Card to help cover agricultural input costs. The Agriculture Minister directed that awareness of this package be widely spread among farmers and that elected representatives and district officers be invited to mega gatherings with farmers to discuss wheat cultivation support.

Secretary of Agriculture Iftikhar Ali Sahoo announced that competitions at the provincial, divisional, and district levels will be organized to increase per-acre wheat yield. Additionally, steps are underway to expedite field activities to ensure the supply of advanced wheat production technology. Approved wheat seeds are available at prices approximately 2,000 PKR lower than last year, and fertilizers are also accessible in ample supply at controlled rates.