Provincial Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Energy SM Tanveer chaired the third session of the taskforce for agriculture at the civil secretariat on Monday. The meeting approved various recommendations aimed at promoting modern agriculture, increasing per-acre yield, and enhancing land productivity.
According to the program, approved certified seeds will be promoted to boost wheat and cotton production. The Punjab Soil Fertility Revival Program will be initiated to improve land fertility. Small farmers will be provided 60 kg sacks at a 50% subsidy per acre. The meeting also approved a plan to make 50,000 acres of barren land cultivable. Pilot projects will be initiated in Mankera, Choubara, and Norpur Thal for land reclamation. Soil and water testing laboratories will be established at the tehsil level in Punjab, while a state-of-the-art research center will be built in Faisalabad in collaboration with China.
During the meeting, a recommendation was considered to provide small-scale farmers with public-private partnership opportunities for warehousing, cold storage, and processing facilities. Under the program, five new small dams will be constructed in Potohar.
Provincial Minister SM Tanveer stated that by implementing effective practical measures, an agricultural revolution can be achieved in the province. He emphasized that promoting corporate farming can yield better results. The minister highlighted that cotton and wheat are crucial crops for the country, and comprehensive measures are being taken to enhance their production.
Secretary Agriculture, Special Secretary (Agriculture), officials from the agriculture & irrigation depts, and agricultural experts attended the meeting.