RAWALPINDI: Punjab government has fixed the wheat support price at Rs4,500 per maund and set a cultivation target of 16.5 million acres for the current season, the provincial agriculture minister announced during a meeting at the commissioner's office in Rawalpindi.
The meeting, chaired by Provincial Minister for Agriculture Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani and attended by officials and farmers, also set a wheat cultivation target of 1.6 million acres for Rawalpindi Division.
Kirmani said a task has been assigned to ensure cultivation exceeds the set targets, calling wheat indispensable for the country's food security. He added that the wheat crop has become profitable for farmers.
A subsidy of Rs320 million is being provided to promote certified seeds, and Punjab Seed Corporation wheat seed is available at Rs7,000 per bag after a Rs800 subsidy, the minister said.
An additional interest-free loan of Rs17 billion is being provided for the purchase of DAP fertilizer for 5 million acres of land, according to Kirmani. He said 1 million farmers will receive an additional interest-free loan of Rs3,500 per acre through the Farmer Card.
Secretary Agriculture Punjab said the agricultural transformation project in the Potohar region is under implementation and that cooperation from divisional and district administrations is required to achieve the wheat cultivation targets.
Shakeel Ahmed Mian said the wheat cultivation campaign is being regularly monitored through field formations.
