20000314

11m saplings

planted

in Punjab

LAHORE: Eleven million saplings have so far been planted in Punjab under the Forest Sector Development Project during the current Tree Plantation Campaign.

Plantation of 31 million saplings in the province till the month of June is the target fixed for the spring 2000 season by the department and 36 percent of the target has so far been achieved, Shahid Rashid Awan, Divisional Forest Officer, Lahore division, told APP on Monday.

He said the Punjab Forest Department is striving hard for the promotion of agro-forestry in the province by persuading the farmers to grow plants both inside and outside the fields to earn profits through the sale of timber.

"Thousands of saplings of various native and exotic trees are being provided to the growers at very nominal price", said Awan.

He said 'green men' of the department had been deployed at all the forest information centres established by the department in almost all major towns and cities of the province, to provide technical assistance to the farmers.

He said the farmers could get information from the green men about selected nurseries to purchase plants of sumbal, eucalyptus, acacia and shisham at the rate of Rs 2 per sapling, while flower plants are also available at nurseries on reasonable rates, he added.

To a query the forest officer said that it was not possible for the department to maintain its own nurseries due to paucity of funds, and it could only provide technical assistance and guidance.

Farmers can earn Rs 10,000 to Rs 17,000 per acre annual profit if they cultivate plants on it, he said adding that cultivation of nurseries is much more profitable.

Quoting a report of a national research institute, he said that survival rate of plants in the province is 67 percent to 71 percent, which is very good under the given circumstances.ÑAPP