As part of the Chief Minister's three-year vegetable production project in Punjab, almost 500,000 seed packets were distributed among the population to encourage vegetable cultivation.
Over 900 demonstration plots of vegetables were also developed while Farmers Day programmes and seminars were also held for farmers' training under the Rs 410.87 million project, which is near completion, it said a press release issued by the media liaison unit of the Punjab Agriculture Department on Saturday 10 September.
The seeds of hybrid tomato, onion, chili, garlic and potato distributed among people were those developed by scientists of Vegetables Research Institute of AARI, Faisalabad. Common people and farmers were also taught tunnel farming techniques in order to grow off-season vegetables.
The agriculture spokesman said vegetables were grown on only 3.1 percent of the total cultivated area in the country and there existed a vast room for expanding vegetables area. Punjab carries importance, as its weather conditions were conducive for vegetables growth, he added.
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Source: dailytimes.com.pk