LAHORE, Oct 28: Federal Minister for Agriculture Sikandar Hayat Bosan has said that lack of awareness among growers about modern farming techniques is the main hurdle in enhancing wheat output and achieving self-sufficiency.

Talking to APP here on Thursday the minister said that a progressive grower was producing 50-55 maunds of wheat per acre against 20-25 maunds production of a traditional grower and there was a need to control yield gap between the two.

He said that the federal government had launched "Grow more" awareness campaign with the cooperation of provincial governments to encourage and guide the traditional growers towards progressive farming for increasing the per acre yield.

He said that main focus of all efforts of the government was to achieve self-sufficiency in wheat production to ensure food security of the country.

The government has increased wheat support price to send a message regarding its seriousness to increase wheat output, he said and expressed the confidence that it would succeed in achieving the target.

Mr Bosan said that timely sowing, use of quality seed, fertilizers, herbicides and other inputs are the key to boost farm production.

Talking about the government's initiatives towards reducing prices of agriculture inputs, the minister said that government was bearing huge loss to maintain diesel prices to facilitate the growers.

He said that urea fertilizer was being imported on the rate of Rs1,200 per bag while it was being sold to the growers for Rs450 per bag, the difference was being borne by the government.

Answering a question he said that water shortage had reduced from 56 per cent to 44 per cent which was a good sign and expressed the hope for further improvement in it.-APP