RAWALPINDI: A ceremony was held to distribute cheques and shields to farmers who won positions in the wheat yield competition organised by the Punjab Agriculture Department, Extension Department and Rawalpindi Division.

Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha was the chief guest at the event. Director Agriculture Syed Shahid Iftikhar Bukhari, deputy directors Sadia Bano, Mohammad Arif, Shakeel Ahmed, Malik Sajjad Hussain, Dr Mohammad Ahmad, Mohammad Abid and farmers from all four districts also attended the ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha said the organisation of wheat production competition was a productive thing and that such events encouraged farmers to work even harder and get better production.

Congratulating the farmers who won prizes in the productivity competitions, he said they were a beacon for other farmers. He appreciated the Department of Agriculture (Extension) Rawalpindi Division for conducting a concerted campaign to achieve better production of wheat, adding that such steps must continue in the future.

He said a seminar should be organised at the tehsil level regarding increase in the production of wheat.

Farmers from each tehsil of Rawalpindi Division should be represented in the Divisional Agricultural Advisory Committee so that the problems of the farmers can be solved timely. Recommendations should be made to the government to make policies according to this.

In the event the farmers who stood first, second and third from Attock district were as follows: Malik Asif Nawaz Mauza Bhalot Tehsil Fatehjang got the first position by getting 54.5 maund per acre, Liaquat Ali got the second position by getting 52.66 maund per acre, Azhar Hussain got 50.15 maund per acre.

Imtiaz Hussain from district Rawalpindi got the first position by getting 54.88 maund per acre, Malik Rashid Ahmed Raza stood by getting 53.4 maund per acre and Shahid Mehmood got the third position by getting 35.7 maund per acre.

From Jhelum District: Khudadad Khan got the first position by getting 59.5 maund per acre, Muhammad Saeed got the second

position by getting 45.57 maund per acre, and Mohammad Latif got the third position by getting 41 maund per acre.

Lastly, Haji Akbar Hussain from Chakwal district got the first position by getting 51.16 maund per acre, Muhammad Shafiq got the second position by getting 49.8 maund per acre and Mudassar Hussain got the third position by getting 47.8 maund per acre.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2023