Over 0.175 lakh acres of land would be brought under sunflower crop in various areas of Punjab. Agriculture department under special directives of Punjab government has prepared a detailed plan for the promotion of sunflower crop in the province. Sources in agriculture department toldBusiness Recorder on Friday that under the plan, special attention would be given to grower community with a view to encouraging them to bring their maximum land under sunflower cultivation to cope with domestic requirements.
At present, only 30 percent edible oil is being produced in the country while 70 percent being imported to fulfill domestic needs. The demand of edible oil is on the rise due to a fast increase in population of the country. It is high time that more efforts should be made towards cultivation of oilseed crops, including sunflower, to minimise the import of edible oil. The Sunflower crop can play a vital role in enhancing the production of edible oil because sunflower seeds have 40 percent oil capacity.
Keeping in view the importance of edible crops, the Agriculture department was making strenuous efforts towards, motivating growers that they should cultivate sunflower crop in their fields and get economic benefits and help in enhancing the production of edible oil sources said. In Sialkot district, sunflower crop would be cultivated on 4000 acres of land. The Tehsil-wise break-up is Sambrial 1500 acres; Dask 200 acres; Pasrur 2000 acres and 200 acres in Sialkot Tehsil.
