Punjab government to conduct chemical analysis of soils

Punjab Government is planning to conduct chemical analysis of soils consisting of 21 million acres and water analysis of 1 million tube wells to promote balanced use of fertilisers and reduce production costs. This was stated by Rashid Mehmood Secretary Agriculture Punjab while presiding a meeting of Agricultural Scientists held to review the agricultural research activities of Rice Research Institute Kala Shah Kaku, says a spokesman of the agriculture department here on Friday.

The secretary agriculture asked the Agricultural scientists to develop new hybrid rice varieties to increase rice export. Dr Abid Mehmood Director General Agricultural Research Punjab, Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad khan, Vice Chancellor University of Faisalabad, Agricultural Scientists, Extension workers and Farmers attended the meeting.

Secretary Agriculture stated that new crop varieties developed by agriculture scientists possess high yield potential but our average per acre yield is very low. He stressed the need to narrow yield gap between the potential yield of varieties and average per acre yield achieved. He told that government is promoting use of farm machinery to increase per acre yield. In order to increase per acre yield of small farmers the Secretary informed that government is taking steps so that benefits of subsidy should reach directly to the small growers.

Dr Abid Mehmood informed the meeting that Pakistan is the 4th country among rice producing countries in the world and scientists of Rice Research Institute kala shah kaku have developed 24 new rice varieties. Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad informed that in order to increase rice production 80 thousand plants per acre are required whereas the farmers plant 50 to 60 thousand plants per acre. He stressed the need to train farmers to transplant rice nursery with rice transplanted.

Dr Muhammad Akhtar Director Rice Research Institute Kala Shah Kaku briefed the meeting that last year rice was cultivated on 45 lakh acres and 3.54 million tons production was obtained. He emphasised the importance of reducing post harvest losses of rice by promoting use of rice Combine Harvester. He told that experiments have proved that ridge sowing of rice saves water up to 30 to 35 percent reducing production cost up to 60 percent.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2015