Wheat would be cultivated at an area comprising 7 lac and 23 thousand acres of agriculture land in district Bahawalpur

Wheat would be cultivated at an area comprising 7 lac and 23 thousand acres of agriculture land in district Bahawalpur

               BAHAWALPUR(PR) Wheat would be cultivated at an area comprising 7 lac and 23 thousand acres of agriculture land in district Bahawalpur while out of this target of cultivation 96.61% target has been achieved by sowing wheat at an area comprising 6 lac 98 thousand and 613 acres of land. Similarly, a target to the tune of 12 lac and 64 thousand bales of cotton for the year 2016 was fixed and out of that 8 lac 71 thousand and 321 bales of cotton had been produced so far. This was briefed by the agriculture officials at a meeting of district agriculture advisory committee. Additional District Collector Nausheen Malik presided over the meeting. The meeting was attended by EDO agriculture Chaudhry Tanveer Ahmad, Regional project Director Water management Multan Mansha Ali, District Officer agriculture Irfan Cheema, officers of agriculture department and other officers and officials of the concerned departments.

                During the meeting EDO agriculture Chaudhry Tanveer Ahmad briefed that agriculture department has extended economic relief to the tune of Rs. 297.65 million by rectifying 4032 electricity bills of agriculture tube wells run by the peasants. Similarly, 850 defected meters of agriculture tube wells were also repaired. EDO agriculture further said that a subsidy to the tune of 50% was being extended to the peasants to get disk plough, chisel plough, rabbi drill, sugarcane ridger and rotavator to promote mechanize agriculture.

                District Officer agriculture Irfan Cheema apprised the meeting that 212 samples of pesticides were collected and dispatched to laboratory for chemical examination and out of 184 returned samples 8 have been found sub standard. He further said that 179 samples of fertilizers were collected and sent for chemical examination and out of 168 samples returned out of which 12 samples were found sub standard. Irfan Cheema further said that 19 FIRs have been lodged on account of selling sub standard pesticides and fertilizers.

                Additional District Collector Nausheen Malik urged upon officials of the agriculture department to sharpen their vigil to extend all possible technical assistance and guidance to resolve various problems faced by peasants.