The Government of Punjab has launched the ‘Grow More Wheat Campaign’ and has started public awareness campaigns through electronic and digital media platforms in a bid to promote approved varieties endorsed by the Department of Agriculture.
The development comes as the province aims to achieve the ambitious wheat production target of 25 million tons over 1.60 million acres ascribed for Rabi 2023-24 recently in a high-level meeting of the Federal Committee of Agriculture. The target is 20 percent higher than the record provincial production of 21 million tons reportedly harvested in 2022-23.
The announcement was made by Nadir Chattha, Secretary of Agriculture, Punjab, during a crucial review meeting in Lahore, attended by key stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
To ensure the success of this initiative, a collaborative effort between agricultural extension officers, department staff, and farmers is set to span the entire wheat cultivation process, from planting to harvesting. Divisional directors play a vital role in ensuring the availability of high-quality agricultural inputs in the market throughout the wheat cultivation season, according to Chattha.
Farm managers overseeing lands managed by the agriculture department received instructions to provide comprehensive reports on their achievements, contributing to overall farm performance. Technical guidance for farmers is also a focal point of this initiative.
Secretary Chattha highlighted the importance of advancing mechanized agriculture for paddy harvesting, emphasizing its role in smog control to address air pollution concerns arising from paddy field destruction.
Key figures attending the meeting included Director General of Agriculture (Extension) Dr. Ishtiaq Hassan, Director General of Agriculture Field Engineer Ahmed Sohail, Director Adaptive Research Chaudhry Mushtaq, Director of Agriculture Extension Headquarters Farooq Javed, Director Agriculture Lahore Division Sher Muhammad Sharawat, and Director Agricultural Information, Punjab, Rai Mudassar Abbas, among other officers.
