Punjab agriculture dept uses drones, helicopters to spray 57,000 land in DG Khan

Lahore: Punjab Secretary Agriculture Iftikhar Ali Sahoo on Tuesday said that with the help of drones and helicopters, a total of 57 thousand acres in Dera Ghazi Khan Division and 8 thousand acres with the help of power sprayers were sprayed with modern chemistry pesticides which had significantly reduced the attack of whitefly.

Special teams of the Agriculture Department have been accompanying the farmers during this time. He further said that steps should be taken on a priority basis to supply water to the tail end of the farmers in the cotton areas by next month to get full production of the cotton crop. He was presiding over the review meeting held in Lahore regarding current situation of cotton crop in South Punjab.

Director General Agriculture (Extension) Dr. Ishtiaq Hasan, Director General Agriculture (Pest Warning) Punjab Rana Faqir Hussain, Director General Agriculture, Crop Reporting Dr. Abdul Qayyum and Director Agricultural Information, Punjab Rai Mudassar Abbas were present in the meeting while Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners of Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Irrigation Department officers and Divisional Directors of Agriculture Extension participated through video link.

Secretary Agriculture was briefed that cotton crop situation is satisfactory and harvesting of spring crop is in progress while harvesting of seasonal crop has also been started now. Guidance on cotton crop irrigation, nutrition and pest management is being provided to farmers during this month. So far this year, the production of cotton in South Punjab has been double as compare to last year. Cotton market is stable and farmers are getting better rates.

Secretary Agriculture, Punjab urged the district administration officers to solve the issues related to cotton crop on daily basis so that the cotton production target can be achieved. He clarified that higher per acre production of cotton is the guarantee of farmers' prosperity and stability in the country's economy. Therefore, for higher production of cotton per acre, the senior officers of the district administration and all the divisional directors will lead this campaign as national agenda by the end of next month and perform with passion.