Farmers of the Punjab have completed 100 percent timely sowing of Rabi crops including staple food wheat and grams over 16.5 million acres and 2.1 million acres respectively due to incentives and provision of certified seeds to the small farmers by the government.
Talking to Business Recorder here on Thursday, Director General agriculture extension services, Dr Anjum Ali said that the provincial government provided 0.93 million 50 kg bags of certified wheat seed free to the small land holders in early November when sufficient moisture was available for sowing of strategic wheat and grams, oil seeds, vegetables and fodder crops in the fields. He said four bags of good quality wheat seed were given to each 23,800 villages for free distribution among the farmers. He said the farmers also used maximum quantities of phosphorus fertilisers - one million tons - this season as the government had given a subsidy of Rs 500 per 50 KG bag for sowing the all important Rabi crops in time.
"The farmers of cotton and paddy crops also hugely benefited from the unprecedented Kissan Package announced by the Prime Minister under which growers of these crops were given Rs 5000 in cash per acre. Ali said the crops are in good condition and the agriculture department is guiding the farmers for proper management and watering of these crops till harvesting in April next year.