MULTAN - Secretary Agriculture Punjab, Iftikhar Ali Sahu said on Monday that the province has been transformed into cotton valley after many years. He said that the mission of cotton recovery under Punjab Agriculture department was in progress successfully. Field formations have to work hard to ensure increase in per acre cotton yield as next 30 days were very important for better cotton management.
Secretary Agriculture expressed these views while addressing technical session organized at MNS Agricultural University to review the current situation of cotton, the attack of pests and diseases on the crop. Secretary Agriculture South Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel, Vice Chancellor MNS Agriculture University Professor Dr. Asif Ali, Additional Secretaries Task Force Shabir Ahmed Khan and Imtiaz Ahmed Waraich, Director General Agriculture Extension Punjab Dr. Muhammad Anjum Ali, Director General Pest Warning Rana Faqir Ahmed and others participated.
Iftikhar asked the field staff to perform their duties for the entire month of August as cotton emergency. He said that the country’s economic situation got support due to bumper crop of wheat in Punjab province and added that the cotton crop should also be taken as a mission in same way. He added that there was need to be more alert considering the current weather situation and any negligence would not be tolerated.
Secretary directed field formations to spend maximum time in the cotton fields and to redouble their efficiency and ongoing activities in guiding the farmers and strict monitoring to ensure availability of pesticides on fixed prices in the market. Director General Agriculture Extension and Pest Warning briefed the participants about the current situation of cotton, insects’ diseases and remedies.