Latest news with #IftikharAliSahoo
Business Recorder
20 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Punjab forms task force to boost agri research links
LAHORE: The Punjab government has constituted a task force to enhance coordination between academia and research institutions and to develop a joint strategy aimed at strengthening the agricultural sector. The task force will submit its recommendations within 15 days which will then be forwarded to the Chief Minister of Punjab for approval. Members of the task force will maintain their individual identities while fostering greater collaboration and promoting research. Additionally, coordination with the private sector and international institutions will also be ensured. The formation of the task force was ordered by Secretary Agriculture Punjab, Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, during a meeting held at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF). The meeting was attended by UAF Vice Chancellor Zulfiqar Ali, Chairman of the National Seed Authority Dr Asif Ali, Chief Executive of PARB Dr Abid Mahmood, Consultant to the Punjab Agriculture Department Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali, along with agricultural experts and researchers. Addressing the meeting, the secretary of Agriculture emphasised that in order to modernise the agriculture sector all stakeholders must adopt a joint strategy. He noted that stronger coordination between academia and research institutions would yield better outcomes. He added that the government is generously allocating resources to revive the agriculture sector, and a consultative session has already been held with all relevant stakeholders in this regard. He further stressed that practical measures grounded in modern research are essential to boost agricultural productivity. Highlighting cotton production as a major challenge, he underscored the need for a long-term policy. The secretary also pointed out the urgent requirement to introduce superior germplasm, develop new climate-resilient varieties, and ensure the availability of high-quality seeds to farmers. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
21 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
‘Agri education and research taskforce' being set up: minister
FAISALABAD: Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo on Thursday said that Agriculture Education and Research taskforce is being set up that will present recommendation to revamp the sector in order to ensure four percent agricultural growth in coming years. UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali along with Chairman National Seed Authority Dr Asif Ali, Director General Ayyub Research Sajid ur Rahman, Chief Executive PARB Dr Abid Mehmood, Consultant to Punjab Agriculture Department Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali and other renowned agriculture experts and researchers attended the meeting. Iftikhar Ali Sahoo urged the agricultural institutions to lower down the walls and enhance the collaboration between academia, research and industry to achieve better outcomes and to ensure the food security at national level. He said that the government is devising the doable short, mid and long-term policies for upgrading the agriculture sector. He highlighted that increasing crop productivity is a major challenge, particularly due to water scarcity, climate changes and other challenges. He mentioned that quality germplasm, climate-resilient varieties and timely provision of certified seeds to farmers would boost the production. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Farmers start receiving tractors under wheat support programme
LAHORE: The Punjab government has started distributing green tractors among farmers under its wheat support programme to encourage wheat cultivation across the province. A total of 1,000 tractors are being handed over through a transparent balloting process. Speaking at a distribution ceremony held in Multan as part of the 'Grow More Wheat' campaign, Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani said the Chief Minister of Punjab has introduced a landmark Rs27 billion package to promote wheat farming and increase production. As part of the wheat production competition, farmers at the provincial level will receive an 85-horsepower tractor for the first prize, a 75-horsepower tractor for second, and a 60-horsepower tractor for third. At the district level, the first prize is Rs1 million, second prize Rs0.8 million, and third prize Rs0.5 million. Under this initiative, farmers with wheat crops on 1 to 12.5 acres are receiving a subsidy of Rs5,000 per acre. The minister added that in the Multan Division, 109 farmers are being given tractors under the campaign. He also noted that in the first phase of the Green Tractors Programme, 9,500 farmers had already received tractors. In the second phase, 20,000 more tractors will be distributed. Meanwhile, Phase 2 of the Chief Minister Punjab Kisan Card scheme is offering interest-free loans worth Rs100 billion. The maximum loan limit has been raised to Rs300,000, and landholding eligibility increased to 25 acres. Farmers can withdraw 30% of the loan in cash, while 20% is reserved for diesel. To support the scheme, 4,000 registered dealers and over 700 PSO fuel stations have been included in the network. The ceremony was also addressed by Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo. On this occasion, Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani handed over keys of the green tractors to successful farmers. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
05-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Punjab seeks tax relief for cotton industry
LAHORE: Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani disclosed on Wednesday that talks are underway with the federal government and the prime minister to remove income and sales tax from the cotton industry. He hoped that these taxes will be removed in the 2025-26 budget with the aim to make cotton farming more profitable for growers. The Minister was addressing a delegation of the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association which called on him at the Agriculture House. Sharing the strategy adopted by the Punjab government this year to enhance sowing of cotton, the Minister informed the delegation that one million acres of land previously used for rice have been shifted to cotton this year. The Minister also threw light on Cotton Campaign 2025–26, early sowing, early operation of ginning factories, cotton pricing, taxation on local cotton, and the enforcement of the Cotton Control Act. During the meeting, the Cotton Ginners Association shared the challenges currently facing the industry. Member of Provincial Assembly Rana Saleem and Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo were also present. Speaking on the occasion, Minister Kirmani said that cotton is Pakistan's main cash crop. Following the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Agriculture Department has introduced effective measures across the province, especially in South Punjab, to revive and stabilize cotton production. As a result, cotton cultivation has improved significantly, and the area under cultivation has increased. He declared this year as the 'year of cotton revival.' To promote cotton farming, the Agriculture Department launched a strong awareness campaign. Between February 15 and March 31, an ambitious goal of sowing cotton on one million acres was set and successfully achieved - a milestone not reached in the last 10 years. So far, cotton has been cultivated on 3.3 million out of the targeted 3.5 million acres, and efforts continue to reach four million acres. The department conducts third-party verification to ensure transparency in meeting targets. The Minister urged ginners to adopt modern technology, noting that many factories still use outdated methods that reduce the international demand for Pakistani cotton. He stressed the need to upgrade ginning processes and assured full government support for introducing new technology in the sector. Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo said that this year, demonstration plots were established in South Punjab where Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques were fully implemented. He also noted that the private sector took responsibility for supporting cotton farming at the tehsil level, setting a positive example. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Punjab Agri Dept, Margalla Heavy Industries Taxila sign MoU
LAHORE: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed Monday between the Agriculture Department Punjab and Margalla Heavy Industries Limited, Taxila, to carry out the repair and maintenance of 20 bulldozers from the field wing of the agriculture department Punjab by the heavy industries. The MoU was signed in the presence of Minister for Agriculture Punjab Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani and Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo at a ceremony at the Agriculture House, Lahore. The MoU was formally signed by Director General Field (Agriculture), Sajid Naseer, and Chief Executive Officer of Heavy Industries Taxila, Brigadier Nadeem Ahmed. Brigadier Jawad (r) from Heavy Industries Taxila, Special Secretary Agriculture Agha Nabeel Akhtar, Additional Secretary Agriculture (Planning) Captain Waqas Rasheed, and Additional Director General (Engineering) Multan, Afzal Tahir were also present on this occasion. Following the signing ceremony, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Punjab, Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, chaired a review meeting on the Chief Minister's Wheat Support Programme and Kisan Card Phase II. Speaking at the meeting, the Minister stated that under these programmes, disbursement of funds to farmers through the Bank of Punjab will commence on May 22. He was informed that 487,000 farmers have already repaid their loans under the first phase of the Kisan Card scheme. He emphasized that to benefit from all agricultural initiatives of the government, possession of a Kisan Card must be made mandatory. He further noted that the scope of Kisan Card Phase II has been expanded, increasing the loan limit to Rs300,000, eliminating transaction charges, and introducing a facility for diesel purchase. In addition to Kisan Card holders, other farmers are also applying for the wheat support program via the dedicated portal, with 250,000 applications already received. The deadline to apply for this program is May 31. Through the same portal, an additional 100,000 farmers can register for new Kisan Cards. A total of Rs10 billion will be distributed among 500,000 farmers under the wheat support programme. The Bank of Punjab has approved over 542,000 farmer applications for Kisan Card Phase II, and the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA) has completed verification for nearly 500,000 of them. Iftikhar Ali Sahoo stressed the need to intensify the awareness campaign across social media, electronic media, and print media to ensure that more farmers can benefit from the government's loans and incentives. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
