Agricultural experts on Wednesday said that rational use of fertilizer as per soil fertility analysis will not only decrease cost of production upto 35 percent but also help the country save Rs 300 million a year. They addressed farmer convention held at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad Sub-Campus Burewala.
UAF Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Zafar said the Punjab Government was taking revolutionary measurers to solve the issues of agriculture sector and to provide relief to farming community. He said only by using balanced fertilizer, a farmer can enhance his yield upto 32 percent in cotton, 40 percent maize, 35 percent wheat, 20 percent rice and about 10 percent sugarcane. It will raise farmers’ income sand have a positive impact on his socio- economic life. He said amid the situation of ever-increasing population, decreasing fertility and agricultural land, we need to adopt the modern trends in agriculture sector to tackle situation effectively. He said that the researches must be reached to the farmers fields. We are strengthening our outreach program. He said that sub-campus will emerge as future university. He said that the education works as the engine of the growth for the development of any institution. He said that the varsity is expanding its outfits in far flung areas of the province thereby to provide the youth higher education at their doorsteps. He thanked the political hierarchy of the district and support of the district government in establishing the sub-campus on its footing. Dr. Muhammad Rashid Principal Investigator of fertilizer project said that UAF had developed a mobile app, enabling the farmers to get desired yield. He said: “inputs are very expensive so we need to put the fertilizer as precise as we can. We have developed fertilizer model for all major crops so that the farmers can save fertilizer and heavy money. He said University is outreaching its advisory services in all districts of the province to make the farmers aware of the new fertilizer model. Principal Dr Abdus Salam said that that over the years, per acre yield had raised manifold but keeping the challenges in views, precise use of inputs was essential. He urged the farmers to apply rational fertilizer to make the agriculture sustainable. He said that two three decade ago, Vehari was producing cotton more than Sindh. He said that in UAF Sub Campus, the enrollment has surpassed 1600 students and they were mulling to expanding the degree programs. He said in the undergraduate programs, BSc Agriculture, BS Computer and BBA Agri Business are being offered. Whereas, in the postgraduate, seven degree programs including Horticultural Sciences, Soil Sciences, Environment, Sociology, Computer Sciences and others are catering the needs of higher education of the locals at their door step. He said that 600 students are getting free education here. Chairman District Council Peer Syed Ghulam Mohyuddin Chishti said that all-out efforts were being made to address the problems of farming community with a number of initiatives. Director Cotton Research Institute expert Dr Sagher Ahmad, while Unveiling the causes of cotton reduction in 2015, said that pink bollworm, high temperature coupled with heavy rainfall were the major contributors to more than 10 million bales against the usual annual production of 15 million bales. He said that steps are afoot to cope with the situation of climate changes that is playing havoc with the lives of the people. He said that the country was blessed with four seasons, cropping pattern etc but we have opt the modern trends to compete with the rest of the world. Farmers’ representative Kashif Khaqwani said that the progress made in the agriculture helped us to ensure the food security and to meet the challenges of modern era. Chairman Satellite Town Shahid Sarwar, Social activist Rana Tahir, Dr Fakhar Ud Din, Pro Vice Chancellor Multan Nawaz Shareef Agri University Dr Ishtiaque Rajwana Dr Asif Khan, Dr Fakhar Uddin and other notable also spoke on the occasion.