PESHAWAR: The agriculture department is hopeful the distribution of free, quality seeds will increase wheat yield in the province around 25 percent.

Under the Insaf Food Security Programme, the department plans the sowing of such seeds on 1.068 million acres of land in the province during the next three years.

The seeds will be given out for 356,000 acres of land during the current year.

While referring to the government’s plan to increase wheat production, officials in the agriculture department told Dawn that by sowing ordinary seeds, farmers could hardly get 700kg wheat from one acre of land but the certified and approved seeds could increase the yield up to 875kg per acre.

Officials say IFSP to boost agricultural earnings, cut wheat purchases from Punjab

They said they’re hopeful that the three years programme would not only take the province’s annual agricultural earnings to at least Rs5 billion but also reduce wheat purchases from Punjab.

The officials, however, said the seeds to be distributed free of charge were chemically treated and therefore, human being and animals couldn’t use them.

When contacted, Agriculture Information Bureau deputy director Javed Maqbool Butt said the government had begun creating public awareness of the seeds, especially about their use.

“Farmers should avoid eating such seeds as they’re not fit for human and animal consumption for being chemically treated. They (seeds) should be kept out of the reach of children and animals,” he said.

Butt also said farmers should wash hands after touching such seeds.

He said the programme’s only purpose was to increase yield of wheat crop and make the province self-sufficient in wheat production to minimise dependence on other provinces.

The official said the government had planned to spend around Rs3.78 million on seed distribution during three years and around Rs1 billion during the current year.

“A farmer having from one to three acres of agricultural land could get only one bag of 50kg certified wheat seeds free of charge, while those with less than one acre of land could purchase seeds from the relevant points of agriculture department at reasonable rate,” he said.

Butt said the seed distribution was carried out under the supervision of anti-corruption bodies to ensure fairness of the exercise.

He said members of monitoring bodies visited the department’s main depot on Thursday where director general Qayash Bahadar briefed them about the entire process.

“We have already requested the National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ehtesab Commission, anti-corruption department and local journalists to monitor seed distribution,” he said.

The official said distribution of free seeds began in Peshawar on Nov 5, Mardan on Nov 6, Kohat on Nov 10, Charsadda on Nov 11 and in Swabi on Nov 13.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2015

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