Cotton yield breaks last year’s record

Archit Watts
Tribune News ServiceMuktsar, January 3

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The per acre cotton yield this season has broken the last year’s record. The Agriculture Department has this year calculated the per acre average cotton yield at 917 kg (312-kg lint), which was last year 880 kg (300-kg lint). Cotton was grown on 2.84 lakh hectares in the state this season, as per the records of the Agriculture Department.

The department officials and growers said another positive feature of cotton production this season was that consumption of pesticides decreased sharply as compared to last year.

They added that with this positive outcome, the area under cotton cultivation would rise by 20 per cent next season.

KS Pannu, Secretary, Agriculture, Punjab, said, “Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and farmers had taken various measures in advance to ensure the quality of cotton production. The multiplication of whitefly, which has the potential to create havoc to the cotton crop, was checked in advance by eradicating alternative weed host in a campaign mode from February to April. Besides, as many as 245 pest surveillance teams were constituted, which remained stationed in the cotton area from July to September to assess and guide the farmers.”

He said good quality cotton seeds, evaluated and recommended by PAU, were made available to the farmers.

“To ensure the supply of good quality pesticides, a campaign was also launched and it was ensured that pesticides are sold by dealers only on genuine invoice. The integrated pest management (IPM) technology was promoted, which included yellow sticky cards and ‘neem’-based pesticides instead of chemical pesticides, which helped in reducing the pollution load on farms,” claimed Pannu, who is also the Director, Tandrust Punjab Mission.

Meanwhile, local department officials said hi-tech precision spray technology was encouraged by engaging 200 high-end boom spray machines. “Farmers were not just educated to ensure proper nutrition to crop, but a mobile cotton app was also launched on which village-level teams used to upload any incidence of pest and accordingly need-based advisory was issued by experts,” said another senior official of the Agriculture Department.

He added that about 5,500 training camps were held during the kharif crop season.

Meanwhile, arhtiya Rohit Goyal said, “Not just per acre production of cotton has increased this season, but the prices too are good. Per quintal cotton is currently fetching Rs 5,500. The price last year during the corresponding period was Rs 4,800 per quintal. It means the farmer has not just got the benefit from slight increase in yield, but also from the better price.”

Positive outcome

• 2.84 lakh hectares cotton was grown in state this season
• 245 pest surveillance teams guided farmers
• Rs 5,500 price of cotton per quintal
• 5,500 training camps held during kharif season