AVN Report
LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced a special incentive package for farmers, including distribution of 1,000 tractors for those cultivating wheat on 25 acres or more, besides, 1,000 laser land levelers for holdings between 12.5 and 25 acres, through a transparent balloting process.
The announcement was made during a wheat cultivation strategy meeting chaired by Punjab Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, at the Commissioner’s Office in Lahore.
Mr Kirmani said the wheat cultivation target for the Lahore division this year is set at 1.33 million acres, ensuring all resources are mobilized to achieve this goal. He added that special teams are working with district administrations to ensure the supply of quality fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides.
He said to further support farmers, demonstration plots are being arranged for educational purposes, while regular divisional and district committee meetings are being held to help maintain efficient coordination.
He also emphasized the province-wide wheat cultivation target of 16.5 million acres (1.65 crore acres), underscoring its vital role in ensuring national food security, saying the government is fully committed to achieving this objective.
To alleviate the financial strain on farmers, the minister announced a Rs2,000 reduction in the price of certified wheat seeds and confirmed the availability of sufficient stocks of fertilizers for distribution.
He warned that the sale of substandard agricultural products and inflated input costs would not be tolerated.
Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo called for weekly divisional and district committee meetings to monitor progress on cultivation targets, highlighting the importance of close cooperation between the agriculture and revenue departments to streamline the implementation process.
The meeting was also attended by Lahore Commissioner Zaid Bin Maqsood, Deputy Commissioner Syed Musa Raza, Additional Secretary Agriculture Task Force Muhammad Shabir Ahmed Khan and other officials.
