PESHAWAR: Federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governments would provide a subsidy of Rs 600 million and free organic fertilizer for 100,000 acres of land to promote organic farming in the province.

This was told during a high-level briefing presided over by Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Mohibullah Khan regarding transportation and quality of fertilizers. Additional DG Agriculture Plant Protection Javed Maqbool Butt, Fertilizer Dealers Association Vice Chairman Hamidullah Khan, District Heads of Agriculture Extension Department and other officers participated.

The Director Agriculture Extension briefed the Minister regarding demand for fertilizers in the province, especially urea fertilizers and difficulties in delivery to its farmers.

The Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Mohibullah Khan said that agriculture plays key role in economic development of the country and directed the authorities concerned to supply quality fertilizers to farmers to increase per acres’ production. The Minister was apprised about different measures taken by KP Agriculture Department. In months of November and December, the Agriculture Department had launched cracked down on hoarders and seized 25,000 bags of urea fertilizers. Beside 2,409 sacks of fake fertilizers have seized and legal action was taken against the accused. To maintain quality of fertilizers in the province, 200 samples of fertilizers have been procured from all over the province and sent to the laboratory for technical testing.

The Minister for Agriculture expressed satisfaction over performance of department and directed all the officers to take all necessary steps to ensure supply of quality fertilizers to landlords across the province. He said the provincial government would be in touch with the Federal Government to ensure supply of fertilizers in the province and take all possible steps for the welfare of the farmers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021