Sirsa: Pest attack forces farmers to uproot cotton crop
Anil Kakkar
Sirsa, July 16
Farmers in the Odhan region of Sirsa are distressed as the pink bollworm pest has begun to infest their cotton crop. This recurring issue has prompted growers to invest in expensive pesticides while some are resorting to planting alternative crops such as the ‘mung’ beans. The farmers had to uproot their crop due to the infestation to avoid further losses.
According to the farmers, the pink bollworm is primarily affecting the early-sown cotton plants. Last year, the same pest had destroyed their crop, and now its presence again poses a threat to their livelihood.
Several farmers from Jandwala Jatan village say that early signs of infestation were visible on their crop. They said despite spraying pesticides on the crop, the infestation persisted, forcing them to uproot the affected areas.
Resham Singh, a farmer, said he had sown cotton on 10 acres of land, of which he had to plough four acres due to the infestation. Similarly, Prem Kumar, another grower, had to plough his affected cotton field to avoid further losses and switch to more manageable crop.
The farmers have criticised the government for not improving the quality of cotton seed, which could help mitigate such pest issues. They have stressed that the early infestation of pink bollworm could make farming a losing proposition if it was not controlled soon.
The Agriculture Department has advised the farmers to ensure that there are no heaps of dried plants near their fields as the pink bollworm thrives in such an environment. Officials have also recommended that the crop should be inspected regularly and pheromone traps should be used for the early detection of the pest. For pest control, the farmers have been advised to spray profenofos/curocron/sailcron/karina 50 EC in 3 ml per litre of water. The department has urged the farmers to consult the officials before using the pesticide.
Ramphal Ranga, Technical Assistant, Agriculture Department, Dabwali, emphasised the importance of timely pest control and regular crop inspections to effectively manage the pink bollworm infestation.
Pesticide spray not helping, rue farmers
- According to the farmers, the pink bollworm is primarily affecting the early-sown cotton plants
- Several farmers from Jandwala Jatan village say that early signs of infestation are visible on their crop
- They say that despite spraying pesticide, the infestation has persisted, forcing them to uproot the crop in affected areas
