Multan: Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftekhar Ali Sahu said that a special agriculture transformation plan would be made for Potohar region to cultivate high value crops.
Presiding over a meeting here Saturday, the Secretary Agriculture said that the Potohar region was highly suitable for cultivation of high value crops and a special agriculture transformation Plan would be prepared for the development of agriculture in Potohar region.
He further said that agricultural development in Potohar region required joint efforts of the Agriculture Department, Rainfed Agricultural University, Rawalpindi, Agency for Rainfed Area Development and the Irrigation Department.
He said that the Potohar region had vast potential for the production of various fruits, vegetables and flowers.
“In the region, there is a need for research work regarding the production of crops as well as the production of products”, he added.
The Secretary further said that olives and groundnuts were very important crops of this region and the
production and value of new varieties of these crops. He said that research work on the edition should be accelerated.
On this occasion, the Secretary Agriculture Punjab approved the creation of an agriculture transformation plan in Potohar region and formed a committee for its preparation. He directed the officers concerned to prepare the agricultural transformation plan within a month.
Sahu said that progressive farmers would also be involved in implementing the plan in the region.
On the occasion, the Director General of Agriculture Extension Punjab suggested that an integrated strategy should be made for the utilization of small dams.
Director General Irrigation Reforms, Malik Muhammad Akram said that the irrigation reform had played an important role in increasing modern irrigation system and water resources in Potohar region. He further said that one and a half lakh acres of area could be irrigated in this region through small dams while over 1.6 million acre area could also be irrigated.