Punjab Agriculture department (PAD) has evolved a three-year vegetable enhancement plan which will be carried out in 18 districts including Sialkot. In Sialkot district the work on vegetable enhancement programme has been initiated and under this programme suitable sites for developing 18 plots had been identified out of which ten pots will be used for potato cultivation while garlic crop would be sown on eight plots.
PAD sources told Business Recorder on Wednesday that the basic concept of the programme is to enhance the year round supply of essential vegetables on sustainable and affordable prices by promoting vegetable cultivation, reduction in post harvest losses, promotion of kitchen gardening, training of farmers regarding pre and post harvesting techniques and value addition practices for making the province self-sufficient in vegetables.
The main purpose of the project is to enhance vegetable production in urban, semi urban and rural areas through diversification of high value vegetable crops in the Punjab. The increased production of vegetables would not only meet the increasing demand of the population but also fetch share in foreign exchange earning on other hand. The efforts will be made through the programme to maximise the production of essential vegetables to ensure availability throughout the year.
Under the plan small processing units would also be established in main growing vegetable districts especially for preparation of paste, slice, jam, pickles, powder and dehydration of vegetables for its optimum use in the shortage period on cost sharing basis.
In order to lessen the losses a "Plastic Bucket Bank" will be set up in districts on 80-20 percent (government-growers-retailer) cost sharing for safe transportation of vegetables from farm to the markets and retailer outlets. The aim of setting up of Plastic Bucket Bank is to issue the buckets on cycle mode under which a farmer and retailer will take ten buckets for safe transportation from farm to market.