Cultivation of spring sugarcane crop has started across the Punjab province including Faisalabad district.
Growers have been advised to cultivate only approved varieties of the crop as the most favourable time for cultivation of crop is mid-February to end of March.
Divisional Director Agriculture Department Chaudhry Abdul Hameed said here on Friday that the ripening varieties CP400-77, CPF237, CPF 250 and CPF 251 etc. Medium ripening varieties include HSF 240, HSF 242, SPF 234, SPF 213, CPF 246, CPF 247, CPF 248, CPF 249, CPF 253, CPSG 2525 and SLSG 1283 etc. The late ripening variety is CPF 252. He said that timely cultivation of approved varieties helps crop to maintain the sugar content at 10-15 per cent while late and unapproved varieties cause reduction in yield and less amount of sugar in the crop.
The ratio of per acre seed is 100-120 maunds, he said, adding that the favourable temperature for sugarcane is 20-33 degree Celsius.