SAS Nagar: PUNJAB Government has launched a special campaign to spread awareness among the farmers about yellow rust – a disease infesting wheat usually early in the growth season, when temperature ranges between 2 and 15°C. The department of agriculture,Punjabhas supplied 2.32 lakh litre Propiconazol – a fungicide – at its offices for the distribution among the farmers.
Centre of Excellence costing Rs 25 crore set up to motivate farmers to grow vegetables
K S Pannu, Secretary, Agriculture,Punjab– who on Monday flagged off mobile vans carrying agricultural experts to various places in the state with an aim to educate and caution the farmers about the disease – stated that the vans would cover each block of the state. He said that the disease causes a huge loss to the wheat crop. He said that the farmers should approach the agricultural experts in case they suspect incidence of yellow rust.
Pannu said that the government has launched a major project at Kartarpur in Jalandhar to educate the young farmers to diversify their crop patterns. He stated that the government had started a centre of excellence costing Rs 25 Crore to train youth in floriculture and growing vegetables. The government would also provide subsidy to the farmers willing to switch over to growing cash crops including vegetables.
Dr Mangal Singh Sandhu, Director, Agriculture said that the campaign launched against yellow rust would save farmers from loss and ensure that their labour was not lost.