In Lahore, Chief Minister Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, announced the initiation of a project focusing on the corporate farming of vegetables such as onion and tomato. The project aims to cultivate these vegetables on a 2000-acre scale to bolster local availability in Punjab, thereby preventing off-season price spikes. Sharif detailed that vegetable farmer groups, comprising 5 to 10 farmers each, will receive subsidies for seeds, fertilizers, and the adoption of drip irrigation and solarisation technologies.
During a meeting aimed at agricultural transformation in Punjab, it was disclosed that plans for off-season tomato cultivation were set up in Kahrupka, Rahim Yar Khan, Vehari, and Rajanpur. Meanwhile, onion cultivation is planned for Khushab, Chakwal, Pindi, and Jhelum. Furthermore, the Chief Minister approved the launch of agricultural machinery rental services across Punjab, ensuring the availability of tractors, harvesters, and other modern agricultural machinery for farmers on a No-Profit, No-Loss basis. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability in the region.
Additionally, a joint working group has been tasked with selecting over 67 locations for this initiative and identifying the required agricultural machinery. The Chief Minister also instructed the relevant authorities to facilitate the sowing of wheat on governmental lands. The meeting saw the attendance of Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Information & Culture Minister Azma Zahid Bukhari, Agriculture Minister Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, and other key officials.
Source: Daily Parliament Times