Low prices of cotton affect wheat cultivation target

Low prices of cotton pose a serious threat to the agriculture sector, as the wheat cultivation target was reduced by two percent this year in the district. According to agriculture department sources, the department had set a target of cultivation on 467,929 acres of land but it remained 464,000 acres this year.
When contacted, Executive District Officer Agriculture Multan Sardar Muhammad Akbar Khan said that low prices of cotton had caused panic among farmers, especially small farmers. He said the government had announced Rs 1050 per maund for wheat this year to boost wheat production in the country against Rs 940 last year. He said farmers should cultivate more wheat because it was a reasonable amount announced by the government. He said the motivation could not help farmers to grow more wheat because of inflation in all fields of life and agricultural inputs.