Punjab government has extended the date for applying for financial assistance for getting Global GAP and IFS certification under 'supply chain management improvement' scheme for livestock and agricultural products. Now intending persons can apply under this scheme till June 30, 2012. Under this scheme provincial government bear 70 percent cost of getting IFS and Global GAP certification.
Decision to this effect was taken at the 7th meeting of the steering committee of the project held here on Wednesday with the Punjab Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh in the chair. The Minister informed the meeting that under this scheme 3,000 agricultural and livestock farms would be helped in getting training for Global GAP certification so as the selected products could be brought at par with the international level in coming three years.
He said that under this scheme those who would opt to join the Punjab government in first year of the scheme would be provided 70 percent financial assistance, 50 percent to those joining the scheme in second year and 30 percent for the late comers joining the scheme in third and the last year.
He stated that the provincial government is taking steps on priority to promote post-harvest technology and other latest facilities. He advised that growers, livestock farmers, suppliers and logistic companies to immediately apply for the scheme to take advantage of maximum financial assistance by the government.
He said to help the growers a two-page form has been uploaded on the website of the agriculture department. Additional Secretary Agriculture/Co-ordinator project Ameer Khattak while briefing the meeting said that applications have been invited by the project to fill the vacancies of different important posts. He said that it is being hoped that number of applications for all these posts might reach 5,000. The meeting decided that the project's steering committee would interview the candidates applying for the posts of the Chief Co-ordinator.