Punjab Agriculture Secretary Shakeel Ahmad Mian chaired a meeting of the Provincial Rice Management Committee.
Held at the Civil Secretariat, Lahore, Additional Secretary Agriculture (Task Force) Muhammad Shabbir Ahmad Khan, Directors General Agriculture Muhammad Shahbaz Akhtar, Naveed Asmat Kahloon and Dr. Aamir Rasool attended. Representatives of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan, and other relevant stakeholders have also attended the meeting.
The meeting reviewed the current status of the paddy crop in Punjab. It reviewed the arrangements for harvesting, wheat cultivation following paddy harvesting. The meeting also reviewed various other measures aimed at increasing rice exports.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary Agriculture said that farmers have cultivated paddy over an area of 6.7 million acres in Punjab during the current season. He said that Basmati rice holds the status of an identity of Punjab. He highlighted the need for coordinated measures to improve rice production, quality and exports.
Paddy Crop in Punjab:
Secretary Agriculture Punjab directed the concerned officers to provide farmers with technical guidance about paddy harvesting. He also directed the authorities to ensure the safe use of agricultural pesticides during the pre-harvest interval (PHI) of the paddy crop. Shakeel Ahmad Mian also highlighted the need to promote the use of Kubota and modern harvesters for paddy harvesting. He believed the use of these measures could help the harvesting process completion in a timely manner.
The Secretary said that the Punjab Government has provided 10,000 Super-seeders to the farmers on subsidised 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. Secretary Agriculture also directed the authorities of Punjab government to formulate strategy to prevent smog caused by the burning of paddy and other crop residues and implement it in a letter and spirit.
On the occasion, Shakeel Ahmad Mian urged the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan to play a more proactive role in expanding access to international rice markets and increasing the volume of rice exports.
