Over 45 lakh acres of land would be brought under paddy crop during Kharif season in various rice growing areas of the Punjab. Sources in Agriculture department told Business Recorder on Wednesday that paddy would be sown over 20 lakh acres of land in Gujranwala division while 3.24 lakh acres land would be brought under paddy crop in Sialkot district.
The Agriculture department was making adequate efforts for creating awareness among the growers about the use of recommended seed for attain better yield of the crop in the Province. Apart from this the Provincial Agriculture department had initiated a well-knitted training programme for the paddy growers on the preparation of nurseries and cultivation of paddy crop aimed at attaining the fixed target in the Punjab. The growers were directed that they should use only recommended and authenticated paddy seeds and pesticides for obtaining maximum per acre yield in Punjab.
The local agriculture department had already initiated farmers training programme in 1442 villages of Sialkot, Daska, Pasrur and Sambrial tehsils of Sialkot district. During training the rice growers would impart necessary training for enhancing per acre yield, sowing of paddy nurseries, utilisation of irrigation water, pesticides and Fertilizer as well as about the different verities of paddy in Sialkot district sources added.
The Agriculture department had deputed special teams for providing proper guidance and assistance about the use of inputs, nursery sowing and transfer of plants into fields to the rice growers in the Punjab. It may be added that farmers community was reluctant and showing unwillingness to cultivate paddy crop in different areas of Sialkot district. The decline in paddy cultivation was the result of middle mans role and fast climatic changing conditions. However, Agriculture department was making adequate efforts to motivate the growers that they should bring their land under paddy crop in Sialkot district.