Rs 300 million given for crop insurance in NWFP

The NWFP Minister for Agriculture, Arbab Muhammad Ayub Jan has said that the government has given Rs 300 million to the Bank of Khyber (BoK), where the farmers could insure their crops free of cost. However, the owners of twelve and half acre of land would not be able to avail themselves of the premium but would have to register their crops with the bank.
He was addressing the students of Agriculture Training Institute, Peshawar who had completed their two-year course of field and stock assistants. The Provincial Minister said that this step has been taken in the best interest of the farmers, to protect them and their crops from any calamity or other natural disasters.
He said that eight thousand ton of wheat seed are stored in various pick up points of agriculture farms services centres across the province from where the farmers could get quality seed at cheap rates. Further, the minister announced that fertiliser farm would also be available at these farms so that under an accord with the Fauji Fertilisers Corporation, the farmers could obtain quality fertilisers at factory rate.
He also announced loan facilities at six percent interest rate from the Bank of Khyber for the farmers on purchase of fertilisers. The NWFP minister further disclosed that the provincial government had bound the sugar mill owners to start their crushing season from November 1 so that the farmers could vacate their land in time for cultivation of other crops. Ayub Jan said in each and every sugar mill, a magistrate has been posted to check the weight of the farmers' sugarcane in their presence.
In addition, the minister appreciated the role of field assistants in the agriculture sectors and asked the outgoing students to maintain close co-ordination with the farmers and apprised them of their experiences.
Ayub Jan further announced academic upgradation of the Institute said the onward course would be of three years instead of two and diploma would be awarded to the students, while they would be appointed in the government service at grade-15. The Secretary Agriculture, Attaullah Khan and DGs Agriculture Extension and Research were also present on the occasion.