A senior government official visited a modern grape orchard in Muzaffargarh on Tuesday to encourage farmers to adopt new farming methods and increase their income.
Deputy Commissioner Muzaffargarh Usman Tahir Jappa, along with Deputy Director Agriculture Tahir Mahmood Bhatti, visited the grape orchard of Chaudhry Amjad Ali Kamboh in Union Council Taliri. The visit was made in line with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to develop the agriculture sector and improve the lives of farmers across the province.
During the visit, the Deputy Commissioner reviewed how grapes were being harvested, sorted, packed and handled after picking. He also discussed market trends, production methods and how farmers can sell their produce at better prices.
Officials shared that grapes are a very profitable crop. A single acre of grape orchard can produce around 350 maunds of grapes. The current market price of grapes is between Rs8,000 and Rs9,000 per maund. This means a farmer can earn between Rs16 lakh and Rs18 lakh from just one acre. Since the cost of production is only around Rs2.5 lakh to Rs3 lakh per acre, farmers can make very good profits from this crop.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Usman Tahir Jappa said that the development of agriculture, promotion of modern horticulture and the prosperity of farmers are among the top priorities of the Punjab government under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. He urged farmers to use modern orchard management techniques, quality nursery plants and the latest agricultural technology so that they can produce more and earn more while keeping their costs low.