The Punjab government has formulated a plan for the promotion of sunflower and other oil seed crops in the province. Under the programme, sunflower will be cultivated on more than two lakh acres of land in different areas of the province.
The agriculture department sources told APP that the step was being taken to produce the maximum edible oil aimed at lessening its import. At present, only 34 per cent edible oil was being produced in the country while 66 per cent was being imported for catering domestic needs for which the government was spending huge foreign exchange on its import every year.
Sunflower would be cultivated in Sialkot tehsil on 250 acres, Daska on 2,250 acres, Pasrur on 1,500 acres and 2,000 acres in tehsil Sambrial, they said. The agriculture department would extend full cooperation and assistance to sunflower growers in Punjab, the sources added. Meanwhile, the agriculture department had directed growers to use recommended and authenticated sunflower seeds for getting the maximum per acre yield.—APP