RAWALPINDI: The Punjab agriculture department chalked out new plans for the next fiscal year 2024–25, including the upgradation of the farmer data bank and the import of modern harvesters for wheat and paddy harvesting to improve the outreach programme.

The plans were chalked out at a high-level meeting, presided over by Secretary Agriculture, Punjab, Iftikhar Ali Sahoo.

The proposals for the projects to be presented during the Annual Development Programme 2024–25 were finalised.

On this occasion, Mr Sahoo stated that subsidies are being provided on 56 agricultural implements for farm mechanisation.

With the help of modern harvesters, losses during wheat and paddy harvesting will be reduced by 10–15pc. “Subsidy is being provided on modern machinery of 56 types,” he said.

Secretary Agriculture noted that in the first phase, operations at the level of nine divisions of fruit and vegetable markets will be digitised, and one model agriculture center will be established initially in Multan and Sahiwal.

He added that a model citrus garden should be developed in Sargodha, and apart from this, a disease-free nursery of citrus fruits will be established where 100,000 disease-free plants will be produced annually.

Mr Sahoo said that agricultural scientists will be sent for training abroad, and departmental support will be provided to agricultural scientists who get free overseas scholarships.

In the meeting, strategies were formulated to increase cotton cultivation and production during the season.

Secretary Agriculture Punjab issued orders to organise seminars at the center, tehsil, district, and division levels to achieve the goals of cotton cultivation and production.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2024