MULTAN: Punjab would spend Rs558.87 million to increase the produce of vegetables and pulses in an attempt to raise food security and cut imports bill, an official said on Tuesday.

In a meeting with progressive growers on Tuesday, Assistant Director Agricul­ture Information Naveed Asmat Kahlon said that Rs410.87m would be spent to raise vegetables production and Rs148m for pulses.

The project for vegetables production, besides others, would mainly focus on enhancing production of potato, garlic, tomato and chilli, he said.

Kahlon said the pulses project was launched because usually growers consider pulses unimportant and select substandard land for cultivation.

Production of pulses, considered to be a high nutritional value food after meat, could be increased by adopting modern technology.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd , 2014