Experts Suggest Province Wide Schedule For Sunflower Cultivation For High Yield

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Dec, 2021 ) :Farmers have been advised by the agriculture experts here to prepare their fields for 'Bahariya' cultivation of Sunflower with the advent of January and bring maximum land under cultivation for this important cash crop.

A spokesman of the Agriculture Extension Department said Wednesday, "Sunflower is an important edible oil producing crop which can help Pakistan trim down its import bill of edible oil".

He said that maturity time of this crop was only 130 days with comparatively less cost and very high dividends. The government therefore decided to promote cultivation of Sunflower and in this connection subsidy was also offered to the growers of sunflower crops.

"Crushing season has started and the farmers should cultivate Sunflower immediately after harvesting the sugarcane crops and complete it by mid of February. They should also prefer Sunflower crop as it is an oil crop playing a pivotal role not only in catering to our domestic food requirements but also in lessening financial constraints of the growers".

Giving schedule of Sunflower cultivation, he said that the growers of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Khanewal, Multan, Vehari and Bahawal Nagar districts should start cultivation from first January and complete it by end of this month.

"The most suitable time for Sunflower cultivation in Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Lodhran, Rajan Pur and Bhakkar is from 10th January to 10th February. Similarly, the farmers of Faisalabad, Mianwali, Sargodha, Khushab, Jhang, Sahiwal, Okara, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Lahore, Mandi Bahauddin, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Narowal, Attock, Rawalpindi, Gujrat and Chakwal districts should cultivate Sunflower crops from January 25 to February 15", he said.

"The growers should cultivate approved Sunflower varieties like Hi-sun-33, Hi-sun-39, Agora-4, NK-278, FH-331, DK-4040, G-101 and 64-A-93 as these varieties are disease resistant with potential to give bumper yield", the spokesman added.