HYDERABAD, May 17: Agriculturists have advised farmers in areas which face persistent drought or shortage of irrigation water to grow low delta crops that need less water during current kharif in place of season cotton, paddy and sugarcane.

A meeting chaired by The Director-General of Agriculture Extension, Sindh, Naeem Ahmed Korejo, said on Tuesday that low delta crops included pulses, sunflower, barley, bajra, guar, watermelon, soyabean, groundnuts, sesame, chilli, tomato and some vegetables.

The agriculturists who attended the meeting suggested deep ploughing and drilling methods for cotton cultivation in areas facing water shortage.

They said that the ridge methods might be put to use but only in rare cases where it became a must and water was available.

Mr Korejo urged the district officers from 23 districts who also participated in the meeting to educate the farmers in this regard in their areas through personal contacts, seminars and field days.

He directed the field officers to ensure enforcement of paddy act in the left bank areas and discourage farmers from cultivating paddy in areas where its cultivation was banned.

He advised the farmers to avail themselves of the facility to get tube-wells installed at 50 per cent cost to overcome shortage of water where underground water was available.

Mr Korejo asked the district officers to get the agriculture officers and field assistants to work dedicatedly during kharif campaign.

He also asked them to submit their (agriculture officers and field assistants) attendance and progress reports by 25th of every month to his office so that he could make sure the absentees and the shirkers might not draw salaries.

In case of failure the concerned district officer would be held responsible, he warned.

He directed the inspectors concerned to achieve sampling target as previously fixed and no allow unregistered companies to sell their products until they got themselves registered.

The director agriculture information informed the meeting that his directorate was going to launch a publicity campaign through print and electronic media to create awareness among farmers.