Lahore: Punjab Agriculture Secretary Shakeel Ahmad Mian has said that Basmati rice is an identity of Punjab and coordinated measures are essential to improve its production, quality and exports.
He said this while presiding over a meeting of the Provincial Rice Management Committee at Civil Secretariat on Saturday. The meeting reviewed the current status of the paddy crop in Punjab, arrangements for harvesting, wheat cultivation following paddy harvesting, and various other measures aimed at increasing rice exports.
Shakeel Mian said that paddy has been cultivated over an area of 6.7 million acres in Punjab during the current season. He directed the relevant officers to provide farmers with technical guidance about paddy harvesting. He also directed that the safe use of agricultural pesticides during the pre-harvest interval (PHI) of the paddy crop should be ensured.
Shakeel Ahmad Mian added that the use of Kubota and modern harvesters for paddy harvesting should be promoted so that the harvesting process can be completed timely. He further said that the Punjab government had provided 10,000 super-seeders to the farmers on subsidized rates.
He directed that wheat cultivation after paddy harvesting should preferably be carried out using Super-seeders. This will not only discourage the burning of crop residues but also help ensure the timely cultivation of wheat.
The secretary said that the strategy formulated to prevent smog caused by the burning of paddy and other crop residues was being implemented in a letter and spirit.
He urged the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan to play a more active role in expanding access to international rice markets and increasing the volume of rice exports.
Representatives of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan, and other relevant stakeholders attended the meeting.