VEHARI, Jan 8: Federal Minister for Agriculture and Food Khair Muhammad Junejo has said the government is giving priority to agriculture.

The minister was addressing a farmers’ gathering after inaugurating sunflower cultivation campaign at Nawab Sheharyar Ali Khan farm in Allahabad village on Vehari-Luddan Road on Tuesday.

Mr Junejo assured them Rs600 per 40 kilograms support price for their produce. He admitted that the growers’ community was a deprived segment of the society.

He urged growers to use modern techniques to enhance per acre yield of sunflower. He said the government was spending Rs300 million per annum on the import of edible oil.

Mr Junejo said about 70 per cent edible oil was being imported which cost the country a huge foreign exchange. By increasing the production of sunflower, the country could save that money, he added.

He said the government had allocated Rs20 million for educating farmers about marketing of their produce. He said he had directed the ADBP and other financial institutions to extend full support to growers to bring more and more land under cultivation. The government had allocated Rs400 million for this purpose.

He expressed the hope that the country would achieve food autarky this year.

Later, the minister visited seeds and pesticide stalls set up by various organizations.