PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has announced to provide fertilizer on 50 per cent discount to the farmers on the condition that they would sell 50 per cent of their produce to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to help achieve food security in the province.

“We are working on a crash plan to make the barren lands cultivable and use maximum of the area for agricultural purposes,” he said.

He was addressing a ceremony at the Tarnab Farm, Peshawar, after handing over 17 new bulldozers to the agriculture department and inaugurating a solar tube-well scheme on Monday, according to a handout.

Mr Khattak said that the engineering wing of the agriculture department was being strengthened to convert more barren land into fertile fields and orchards. He said that funds for purchase of more bulldozers would be increased next year.

Similarly, he said that solar irrigation tube-wells were being promoted to rid the farmers of loadshedding and ever-increasing power tariffs. He said that solar streetlights were being installed on the GT Road from Attock to Peshawar, Ring Road and all other highways to keep the main arteries brightened throughout the night.

The chief minister directed the agriculture department to introduce new seed, technology, fertilizers and pesticides and involve farmers in its activities to enhance agriculture production in the province.

The chief minister said that through the use of modern technology barren land in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which was more than the cultivable land, could be turned into fertile land and orchards.

Mr Khattak said that as compared to demand of 2.5 million tonnes of wheat the province was producing only 1.2 million tonnes, adding that huge difference in supply and demand could create food shortages in the province in future.

The chief minister said that construction of Chashma Right Bank Canal in DI Khan was his government’s top priority to improve the irrigation system with a view to bring about agricultural revolution and achieve food security in the province.

He said the provincial government was also concentrating on other sectors of agriculture as it had initiated a Rs500 million scheme to promote fish and dairy farming and livestock breeding.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2014