SARGODHA: A target of 1.74 million hectares for wheat sowing has been set this year in the Sargodha division.

The breakdown includes 520,000 hectares in Sargodha district, 298,000 hectares in Khushab, 479,000 hectares in Mianwali and 443,000 hectares in Bhakkar.

These details were discussed in a Divisional Wheat Monitoring Committee meeting presided over by Commissioner Jahanzeb Awan.

The meeting learned that the Agriculture Department has 113,000 bags of wheat seeds, while farmers also have ample seeds available.

The meeting learned that to promote timely wheat cultivation, 60 agriculture officers and 136 agricultural graduates are visiting 1,800 villages across the division. Currently, there are 250,000 bags of urea and 150,000 bags of DAP available, ensuring no disruption in fertilizer supply this season.

The commissioner proposed celebrating Mega Farms Day and distributing educational materials. He said that farmers should not face any canal water shortages throughout the season.

So far, 90,000 farmers have registered for Kisan Cards across the division, with 40,000 cards received and 25,000 distributed. Starting Oct 21, farmers with Kisan Cards can obtain interest-free fertilisers and agro-medicines from dealers. Registration for the Kisan Card is still ongoing.

Commissioner Awan urged the four deputy commissioners to finalise the verification of manual applications for the green tractor scheme by Monday.

The meeting also set a target of 12,874 hectares for vegetable cultivation during the Rabi season. The government offers a subsidy of Rs100,000 for tomato cultivation and a model agricultural estate is being developed on an 18-hectare area near Luddewala in Sargodha.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2024