The paddy crop will be cultivated on more than 3.42 lakh acres of land during Kharif season in Sialkot district. Sources in Agriculture department gave tehsil-wise details to Business Recorder on Sunday saying that paddy would be cultivated on 98464 acres in tehsil Sialkot, 84378 in tehsil Daska, 111452 in tehsil Pasrur and 48426 acres in tehsil Sambrial. In the most of the areas of the district, farmers had begun paddy cultivation in their respective fields.

The Agriculture department had initiated a well-knitted training programme regarding the paddy growers' preparation of nurseries. The programme is aimed at attaining the fixed paddy crop target in the district. The basic concept of training programme was to create awareness among the growers about the use of recommended seed and proper use of fertilizer to attain better yield of the crop in Sialkot district.

The local agriculture department had also initiated farmers training programme in 1442 villages of Sialkot, Daska, Pasrur and Sambrial tehsils of Sialkot district. As many as 29 teams were busy in imparting training to the rice growers for enhancing per acre yield through sowing of paddy nurseries, utilization of irrigation water, pesticides and fertilizer alongside the information regarding different varieties of paddy in Sialkot district, sources said.

The Agriculture department had deputed special teams for providing proper guidance and assistance about the use of inputs, and transfer of plants into fields to the rice growers in Sialkot district. The farmers were reluctant and unwilling to cultivate paddy crop in different areas of Sialkot district. The decline in paddy cultivation was the result of fast climatic changing conditions. However, Agriculture department has been making adequate efforts to motivate the growers that they should sow paddy crop to attain the set target in Sialkot district.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017