MULTAN City News

Punjab govt launches fruit fly prevention project
From Our Correspondent
MULTAN: The Punjab government has launched the fruit fly prevention project in 30 districts of the province, said Deputy Director Fruits and Vegetables Naseer Ahmad.
Talking to newsmen here on Friday, he said that the fruit fly was affecting mango, citrus and guava trees. He said that the disease damaged the exterior of fruits and vegetables, making them unfit for human consumption. The government was spending Rs 227.6 million on the four-year long project. Under the project, the government would provide methyl eugenol and protein hydrolysate to the farmers on subsidized rates in 15 districts in the first year of the project. Under the project, 10 mango orchards had been selecting in Multan, Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan and Khanewal, 10 citrus orchards in Sargodha, Toba Tek Singh, Sahiwal, Vehari and Mandi Bahauddin and 10 guava orchards in Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Faisalabad, Okara and Kasur, he added.
Agriculture Information Assistant Director Naveed Asmat Kahloon said that over 5,000 acres had been allocated in the first year of the project, including 2,000 acres for mango, 2,650 acres for citrus and 350 acres for guava.
Meanwhile, Mango Growers Association Multan president Tariq Khan said that the government should cover all orchards instead of selected orchards. He said that most the growers were illiterate and the complex application process would create hurdles in the project.