AVN Report
LAHORE: The Punjab government will collaborate with Austral to use the developed country’s expertise in agriculture and livestock to enhance feed and milk production of the province to meet the demands of its expanding population.
This collaboration is reflected in the government’s allocation of Rs400 billion for the “Transforming Punjab Agriculture” initiative and Rs20 billion for livestock development projects.
During a meeting with Australian High Commissioner Neil Hawkins, Punjab’s Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, outlined several key initiatives in livestock and agriculture sectors, including the Kisan Card, Green Tractor initiative, and Solarization projects, all designed to boost crop yields.
The provincial government has also earmarked Rs20 billion for livestock projects, including livestock farmer cards, a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) control strategy, and a scheme to distribute cattle to widows and divorced women in south Punjab.
The government also plans to produce 400,000 calves through a fattening program and aims to export disease-free meat, while establishing zones to control FMD.
Kirmani underscored the importance of Australian technical support in introducing modern agricultural technologies, particularly for seed quality enhancement and grain storage.
He also discussed the government’s Rs5 billion allocation for machinery to repurpose paddy residues, as part of the Chief Minister’s Smog Control Program.
High Commissioner Neil Hawkins highlighted Australia’s role as a key canola exporter to Pakistan and the collaborative agricultural research being conducted with Punjab’s universities. He also mentioned an Australian company’s involvement in the province’s smog control initiatives.
