Farmers using Sarsabz fertilisers have swept the board in Punjab’s wheat yield contest for 2025-26, taking every provincial title and almost every district honour on offer. The results were celebrated at a prize distribution ceremony for the Sarsabz Ki Jeet Wheat Yield Competition, held around the Government of Punjab’s contest, where growers who used Sarsabz Nitrophos and Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) came out on top at both levels.
The sweep was remarkably complete. At provincial level, all three leading positions went to farmers using the Sarsabz range. At district level, growers using the same fertilisers secured 119 of the 120 positions available, and they took first place in 39 of the province’s 40 districts. That near-clean sweep sets a demanding benchmark for next year’s entrants.
The three provincial winners were separated by very small margins. Sajjad Hussain, from Muzaffargarh, finished first with a yield of 69 maunds and 39.4 kilograms per acre. Shafiq Ahmed, from Attock, was second with 69 maunds and 39.1 kilograms per acre, while Muhammad Asghar, from Rahim Yar Khan, took third place with 69 maunds and 24.1 kilograms per acre. The closeness of those figures shows the contest was decided by a group of growers all operating at a similar, very high level.
Three tractors were presented to the provincial winners, giving them practical machinery that can be put straight to work on their farms. At district level, the prizes were Honda CD 70 motorcycles and LED television sets for those who secured district positions. Prizes of this kind matter in farming communities, where a tractor or a motorcycle can change how quickly work gets done during the busiest weeks.
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain addressed the ceremony through a video link. He congratulated Fatima Fertilizer and the farmers using Sarsabz fertilisers on their result, describing it as a source of pride for Pakistan. He stressed that raising wheat production and improving crop yields are essential for strengthening the country’s food security, and he said the government was committed to ensuring the procurement of every grain of wheat in coordination with provincial governments. He also pointed to initiatives to improve farmers’ access to quality seed, modern technology and agricultural financing, and he praised Fatima Fertilizer for promoting balanced fertiliser use and advisory services, arguing that government, the private sector, research institutions and farmers must work together to transform productivity and secure food security.
Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, who attended the ceremony, described farmers as the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and food security. He said the government was committed to supporting them through farmer-friendly policies, and he appreciated Fatima Fertilizer for recognising Punjab’s leading growers. He drew attention to the announced wheat support price of Rs 4,500 per maund, alongside Rs 150 billion in interest-free loans extended to one million farmers through the Kissan Card since October 15, saying those measures would help farmers obtain quality seed and fertilisers on time and strengthen wheat production.
Fatima Fertilizer’s Director Marketing and Sales, Rabel Sadozai, placed this year’s result in context by comparing it with the previous season. In 2024-25, she said, Sarsabz users also claimed all three provincial positions, but they took 97 of the 120 district positions, compared with 119 this year. That improvement, she argued, showed the potential to raise wheat output through balanced crop nutrition and agronomic guidance, and through advisory services and soil testing that help farmers make informed decisions about what their land needs.
The wider significance of the yields becomes clear when they are set against the national picture. While the successful Sarsabz growers recorded yields of approximately 69 to 70 maunds per acre, the indicative national average stood at around 33 maunds per acre, so the leading growers produced roughly double the national average from the same unit of land. That comparison matters because wheat is Pakistan’s staple food, forming the bulk of calorie intake for most households, and because national productivity has long lagged behind what agronomists believe is possible. In 2023-24, wheat was cultivated on 9.73 million hectares and produced 31.8 million tonnes, yet the average yield of 3,268 kilograms per hectare remained far below a potential yield often put at 5,000 to 8,000 kilograms per hectare.
There is also a caution to keep in view. Competition winners farm under conditions that are not identical to those of every other grower, and a winning yield on one field does not automatically translate into the same result elsewhere. Soil type, water availability, sowing date, seed variety and weather all shape the final harvest. What the Punjab results do offer is evidence that a large yield gap exists and that it can be narrowed. Sarsabz growers have now held all three provincial titles for a second year running and sharply increased their share of district honours, from 97 to 119 out of 120, and the challenge ahead will be whether the practices behind those yields, and the support measures announced alongside them, can reach more growers in more districts.
