More than 4.618 million 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 Monday that the department had chalked out a well-knitted training programme to create awareness among the growers about the use of recommended seed and proper use of fertilizer to attain the fixed target in Punjab.

In this regard, the department deputed special training teams which were visiting various villages 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.

In Sialkot district, paddy will be cultivated on 317030 acres of land in Sialkot, Daska, Pasrur and Sambrial tehsils during Kharif season. The paddy would be sown on 91083 acres in Sialkot, 78053 acres in Daska, 103098 acres in Pasrur and 44796 acres in Sambrial tehsils of Sialkot district. Local agriculture department had initiated farmers training programme in 1442 villages of Sialkot, Daska, Pasrur and Sambrial tehsils of Sialkot district. Special training teams were busy to empower rice growers for enhancing per acre yield, sowing of paddy nurseries, utilization of irrigation water, pesticides and fertilizer as well as about the different verities of paddy in Sialkot district, the sources added.

Some progressive farmers were adopting modern technology for raising rice nursery by automatic machine in plastic trays at local agriculture farm and ready for transplanting by 'Rice Trans Planter' in Bajwat area of Sialkot.