Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo has said that all available resources are being deployed to meet the provincial target of producing 5.5 million cotton bales this season.
Presiding over a meeting at MNS Agriculture University on Saturday, he noted that cotton has been planted on 3.2 million acres across Punjab, with early sowing completed on 850,000 acres under a special campaign.
According to Sahoo, cotton picking equivalent to 800,000 bales has already been completed, and field assessments indicate the crop’s condition is “highly satisfactory.” He directed cotton inspectors to maintain accurate records of seed cotton and processed bales at ginning factories, adding that female workers would be trained in clean picking techniques. “At this crucial stage, any negligence in guiding farmers will not be tolerated,” he warned.
The secretary said agricultural scientists have been assigned to develop climate-smart and mechanically harvestable cotton varieties.
He also announced that an attractive incentive package is being prepared for the upcoming wheat season, alongside an interest-free loan facility worth Rs30 million to promote the use of high-tech agricultural machinery. In addition, 2,000 newly graduated students are set to begin fieldwork next month.
