FAISALABAD : Agriculture experts have advised the farmers to cultivate sunflower instead of late sowing of wheat. A spokesman of department said that sunflower is an important edible oil producing crop which could help Pakistan to trim its import bill of edible bill. He said that maturity of the crop in only 130 days with comparatively less cost and very high dividend.
He said the government had decided to promote cultivation of sunflower due to its importance and in this connection subsidy would also be given to growers on input. He said the best time for the cultivation of sunflower was from January 01 to 15.
He urged the farmers to cultivate sunflower immediately after harvesting the sugarcane crop. He also advised them to ensure in time cultivation of sunflower for optimum yield. He further said the agriculture department had started training programme for growers to sow sunflower crop on scientific lines. He said that subsidy of Rs 5000 per acre would be provided to farmers for the cultivation of sunflower.
He said that centers would be set up at district level for purchase of sunflower crop from the farmers.