Punjab wheat sowing area up 7.7pc as officials report over half of target met

Wheat sowing in Punjab is running ahead of last year's pace. The provincial Agriculture Department says it has met more than half of the province's wheat cultivation target, and the area covered by wheat sowing is up by 7.7pc on the corresponding period of last year.

The figures were presented in a briefing to Agriculture Minister Ashiq Kirmani in Lahore on Friday. The briefing covered the progress of wheat sowing as well as several farm support programmes, including the Kissan Card scheme and the Green Tractor Programme.

How the wheat sowing campaign stands

Officials told the minister that 51pc of the total cultivated area had so far been sown through line sowing. Certified seed has been used on 44pc of the area. Taken together with the 7.7pc rise, these figures describe where wheat sowing stands in the province, according to the briefing.

The department's headline claim is that more than half of the cultivation target has been achieved. Officials also said the sown area is 7.7pc higher than at this point last year, which places wheat sowing ahead of the corresponding period of last year.

The meeting also reviewed paddy harvesting, measures to prevent the burning of crop residue, and initiatives under the smog control programme.

Explained: what the wheat sowing figures show

Three indicators of wheat sowing were reported. First, the department says it has achieved over 50pc of the provincial wheat cultivation target. Second, the sown area is 7.7pc higher than in the same period last year. Third, 51pc of the total cultivated area has been sown through line sowing, while certified seed has been used on 44pc of the area.

These numbers come from the briefing given to the minister. The briefing as reported describes the achievement as more than half of the target, and it describes wheat sowing as higher than at the same point last year. The comparison is with the corresponding period of last year.

The briefing also set out how farm support schemes are progressing alongside wheat sowing. The table below summarises the figures reported for the Kissan Card and the Green Tractor Programme.

Minister's directions to field staff on wheat sowing

Mr Kirmani directed that field formations must actively support farmers throughout the wheat cultivation campaign, so that the prescribed targets are achieved.

He also stressed that quality seeds and fertilisers must be available to farmers at notified prices.

In practical terms, the instruction means that field staff are expected to back farmers throughout the campaign, and that seeds and fertilisers should reach growers at notified prices while wheat sowing continues.

Kissan Card loans for farmers

The meeting was told that, under the fifth phase of the Kissan Card scheme, agricultural loans worth Rs100 billion have been approved for one million farmers.

Of these farmers, 818,000 have already been given credit facilities. Loans amounting to Rs26bn have so far been utilised.

This credit support was reviewed at the same meeting as paddy harvesting, crop residue burning and the smog control initiatives.

Green Tractor Programme progress

Under the fourth phase of the Green Tractor Programme, 1,840 tractors have been distributed. In the fifth phase, 9,500 locally manufactured and imported tractors will be provided.

A total of 305,000 applications had been received, and verification of 188,000 applications has been completed.

Background: the briefing in brief

The Punjab Agriculture Department presented its update to Agriculture Minister Ashiq Kirmani in Lahore on Friday. The update combined progress on wheat sowing with reports on paddy harvesting, the prevention of crop residue burning, the smog control programme, Kissan Card lending and the Green Tractor Programme.

• Wheat target: more than half achieved, with the sown area up 7.7pc on last year.

Image: Ahmed Ali / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0