The Punjab government has approved Rs20,000 per acre aid for farmers to compensate for crop losses, according to an official statement issued on Saturday. The decision comes as the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) warns of potential flooding in several regions amid heavy rainfall forecasts and an expected inflow of more than 150,000 cusecs from India into the Chenab, Sutlej, and Ravi rivers within the next two days.
During a meeting held in Multan to review the condition of major crops, Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo said around 2,000 teams are conducting surveys to assess flood-related damages. He added that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had already given approval for Rs20,000 per acre aid to support affected farmers whose crops have been damaged by recent weather conditions.
Sahoo noted that the provincial agriculture department has also finalized a comprehensive plan to meet the upcoming wheat sowing target. He highlighted that recent measures taken to enhance cotton productivity have shown promising outcomes. So far, 2.65 million bales of seed cotton (phutti) have been picked this year, compared to 1.846 million bales recorded during the same period last year, according to data from the Crop Reporting Service.
The Punjab government’s latest move aims to stabilize the agriculture sector, which continues to face challenges from unpredictable weather patterns and river inflows. Officials said timely financial relief will help farmers recover from recent losses and prepare for the next cropping season.