LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced a Rs 2.5 billion incentive package to promote early cotton cultivation across the province, a move aimed at boosting production and ensuring higher yields.
The financial assistance will be provided exclusively through the Kisan Card, with farmers receiving Rs 25,000 per five acres of owned land cultivated with early cotton.
The initiative, approved by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, sets an ambitious target of 1 million acres for early cotton cultivation. According to Secretary Agriculture Punjab, Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, all available resources are being utilized to meet this goal, with over 700,000 acres already cultivated.
Officials remain confident that the full target will be achieved within the stipulated timeframe.
This marks the first time in Punjab’s history that a special campaign for early cotton cultivation has been launched, leading to a threefold increase in early sowing compared to last year. The efforts have been commended by the Secretary Agriculture, who praised field formations for their role in facilitating the initiative.
A review meeting, chaired by Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, was attended by Additional Secretary Agriculture Task Force Punjab, Muhammad Shabbir Ahmed Khan, Director Generals Agriculture Naveed Asmat Kahloon and Chaudhry Abdul Hameed, Project Director Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali, and other officials. The meeting assessed progress on the campaign and discussed further measures to support cotton growers in the province.