LAHORE: Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo has said that a target of early cotton cultivation on 700,000 acres was set for the current season in Punjab which will be achieved in Multan, Sahiwal, Faisalabad and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions.

He was addressing a Farmers’ Convention held at Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture, Multan, under the cotton production campaign through the joint collaboration of the Punjab Agriculture Department and Fatima Fertilizer.

Mr Sahoo was the chief guest at the event while a large number of farmers and other stakeholders associated with the agriculture sector also participated.

Among the participants were Special Secretary Agriculture South Punjab Sarfraz Hussain Magzi, Vice Chancellor Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture Multan Prof. Dr. Asif Ali, Commissioner Multan Division Aamir Kareem, Additional Secretary Task Force Shabbir Ahmed Khan, Director Generals of Agriculture Department Punjab Abdul Hameed, Naveed Asmat Kahloon, Dr. Aamir Rasool, Dr. Abdul Qayyum, Consultant Agriculture Department Dr. Muhammad Anjum Ali, President Kissan Ittehad Khalid Mahmood Khokhar, Dr. Saeed Iqbal (Farmer Advisory Services, Fatima Fertilizer), along with a large number of farmers and agricultural experts.

During the convention, agricultural experts provided farmers with detailed guidance regarding modern cotton production technologies, improved cultivation practices, disease management and methods to achieve higher yields.

Addressing the gathering, Secretary Mr Sahoo said agricultural development and the prosperity of farmers are among the top priorities of the current government.

He said the government is generously allocating resources to promote innovation and development in the agriculture sector so that modern agricultural technologies can be adopted.

He added that cotton and its allied products play a fundamental role in driving the national economy; therefore, all possible resources and means are being utilised to address the challenges faced by the cotton sector.

He emphasised that all stakeholders must play their roles effectively to ensure the success of cotton cultivation. Sahoo said a special programme worth approximately Rs2 billion is being implemented to transform Bahawalpur Division into a “Cotton Valley.”

He said ample stocks of DAP and Urea fertilizers are available in markets for the Kharif crop season so that farmers do not face any difficulty.

He further shared that the government has already provided interest-free agricultural loans worth Rs250 billion to 800,000 farmers through the Kissan Card.

The secretary stated that under the Chief Minister Punjab’s “Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar” programme, the agriculture department is utilising its professional capabilities to improve farmers’ livelihoods and enhance agricultural productivity. Later, Mr Sahoo formally inaugurated the early cotton cultivation campaign by driving a tractor.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2026