Peshawar, By Bureau report

MULTAN: The Provincial Agriculture Department (PAD) has sought applications from farmers for 9,500 tractors (75 horsepower and above) under the Punjab Chief Minister’s High Power Green Tractors Programme.

Talking to journalists here, Punjab Agriculture Information Directorate Deputy Director Rahsid Sindhu Monday said the government has decided to extend a relief programme towards growers.In this regard, Rs 1 million per tractor will be provided as a subsidy and the minimum agricultural land area should be 7 acres, he added.

He told that the farmers should visit the portal https://gts.punjab.gov.pk or the official website of the Punjab Agriculture Department www.agripunjab.gov.pk to submit applications under this programme.

The last date for submission of applications under this programme is October 5, 2026, he informed.For more information and guidance, the concerned offices of the Department of Agriculture (Extension), Punjab can be contacted or the Agriculture Helpline 17000-0800 can be called daily from 8am to 8pm, he added.

Pest threat intensifies as Punjab rice harvest approaches: Punjab remains Pakistan’s leading rice-producing province, accounting for about 68 per cent of the country’s total rice cultivation area and nearly 97 per cent of its fine aromatic Basmati rice production, according to agriculture statistics.

Paddy growers have cultivated the crop over approximately 5.5 million acres across Punjab during Kharif 2026. Rice is a major cash crop and an important source of foreign exchange for Pakistan.

Popular varieties grown in the province include Super Basmati, Basmati 370, Chenab Basmati and Punjab Basmati, which are known for their grain length and aroma. High-yielding coarse varieties, including KSK 434 and IR-6, are also cultivated in various rice-growing areas.

The rice crop is now approaching the harvesting season in Punjab. Harvesting of early coarse varieties generally begins in late September, while the harvesting season for fine Basmati varieties reaches its peak during October and November.

Rice is cultivated in several districts of Punjab, including Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sheikhupura, Hafizabad, Okara, Mandi Bahauddin, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh, Khanewal and Jhang.

September and October are also considered critical months for the spread of rice pests and diseases across the province.Data available with the Punjab Pest Warning and Quality Control of Pesticides (PPWQCP) indicates that high humidity following monsoon rains, combined with favourable temperatures, creates conditions conducive to pest outbreaks.

According to PPWQCP observations, major threats include rice grasshoppers, leaf folders, stem borers, planthoppers and bacterial leaf blight (BLB). High moisture levels and standing water can further contribute to the spread of pests and diseases during this period.

The rice leaf folder, planthopper and rice grasshopper-locally known as Toka-are among the pests posing a threat to paddy crops. PPWQCP reports have identified hotspots in districts including Sialkot, Narowal, Nankana Sahib, Toba Tek Singh, Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan, where leaf-folder infestation has reportedly ranged between 21 and 48 per cent in affected areas. The reported levels remain below the Economic Threshold Level (ETL), but officials and agricultural experts have warned that infestation could increase under favourable weather conditions.

Rice planthoppers are small insects that generally congregate around the base of rice plants near the waterline. Heavy infestations can cause stunted growth, yellowing of plants and circular patches of dried and collapsed crop, a condition commonly known as hopperburn.

Published Date: September 29, 2026