Agriculture Executive District Officer (EDO) Rana Farman Ali said that more than 80 percent target of wheat sowing had been achieved in Faisalabad district. Addressing a crop review meeting, he said recent rains would bring positive impact on the crop.
He said target for wheat sowing was fixed at 672,000 acres, 80 percent target had been completed, adding that sowing target would be achieved within next couple of weeks. He said the Punjab government was extending maximum facilities to small farmers and urged them to fully benefit from these facilities to increase their income.
About the water availability, he said the government had provided 25 laser land levellers last year at union council level. These levellers were provided at subsidised rates and thus helped small farmers to level their fields and save precious canal water in addition to increasing their farm yield. He added the government had allotted 81 land levellers this year to the Faisalabad district. Out of these, 54 had already been distributed and the process was under way to allot the remaining quota, he added.
Continuing, Rana Farman said one-window operation had also been launched in collaboration with Zarai Taraqiati Bank to provide loans particularly to the small farmers. "The operation will continue at union council level up to January 9, 2007," he said and added that growers could also submit their applications at "one-window" for the purchase of tractors.
Meanwhile, the current rain spell has produced prompt results in the barren areas where the wheat fields turned lush green in the initial phase of crop. As the weather experts have predicted for normal winter rainfalls, the farmers are looking forward for an appropriate return of their labour and investment.