{
  "id": 18248100,
  "title": "Punjab sets wheat cultivation target of 16.5 million acres for the upcoming season",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/punjab-sets-wheat-cultivation-target-of-16-5-million-acres-for-the",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-11-05T04:07:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn Business",
    "slug": "dawn-business",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2042282/punjab-sets-wheat-cultivation-target-of-165-million-acres-for-the-upcoming-season"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "LAHORE: Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani has set a target of 16.5 million acres for wheat cultivation in the upcoming season in Punjab, according to the source <source f4e8750c-6ad>. The government has fixed a support price of Rs4,500 per maund to protect farmers' interests and enhance national food security. During a review meeting at the Commissioner's Office, the minister revealed that Rs150 billion has been allocated under the Kissan Card to help farmers purchase agricultural inputs, as well as Rs425bn in interest-free loans disbursed over the past two and a half years. Kirmani highlighted that 45,000 tractors have been distributed at subsidized rates under the Green Tractor scheme, with an additional Rs450 million subsidy on certified wheat seeds through the Punjab Seed Corporation. The minister reviewed division-specific metrics, assigning Lahore Division a target of 1.35m acres, which is an increase of 50,000 acres from the previous year, as per Secretary Agriculture Punjab Shakeel Ahmad Mian. Kirmani instructed field officers to ensure that approved 50kg wheat seed bags are sold at a fixed price of Rs7,000, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy against hoarding, profiteering, black marketing, and canal water theft.",
  "summary": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2042196",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}