Almost 75 percent wheat sowing has been completed under "Grow More Wheat" campaign in all parts of Sialkot district. The wheat sowing is at its peak in all three Sialkot, Daska, and Pasrur tehsils aimed at attaining maximum production of the crop in the district. It is expected that the remaining 25 percent sowing of wheat would be completed during the current month.
Agriculture department sources told Business Recorder here on Saturday that under the drive wheat would be sown over 0.4 million acres of land in the district. Out of this, wheat was being cultivated over 1.45 lakh acres in Sialkot, 1.75 lakh in Daska and 1.58 lakh in Pasrur tehsils of Sialkot district. The department has stressed upon the wheat growers to complete wheat sowing process within the current month at all cost for getting better yield of the crop.
The department was assisting and providing guidance to the wheat growers about the proper use of pesticides, irrigation and fertilisers for attaining better yield of the crop.
TRAINING PLAN: It has also initiated second phase of "Farmers Training Programme" in 1,540 villages of the district for creating awareness about the latest agricultural techniques and information to the wheat growers and so far farmers training programme had been completed in 280 villages of the district.
The department has constituted as many as 19 teams, which were visiting village to village for guiding the wheat growers about the proper use of fertiliser, irrigation and pesticides in the district. The farmers' training programme was being monitored by the agriculture department at village, tehsil and district level.
Besides, under one-widow operation all commercial banks and Zarai Taraqiati Bank were providing loan facility to the growers for the purchase of pesticides and fertilisers in Sialkot, Daska and Pasrur tehsils of Sialkot district.
Apart from this, special step has been taken for checking the sale of fake and substandard pesticides and fertiliser in Sialkot, Daska and Pasrur tehsils of the district.
The Sialkot district government has adopted solid measures for ensuring the provision of quality pesticides and fertilisers to the wheat growers in the district, sources added.