Farmers urged to adopt new cotton variety

Amid rising concerns over recurring diseases in Bt cotton and a decline in acreage, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian on Tuesday urged farmers to adopt the new PBD 88 variety of “desi kapas” during a Kisan Mela in Bathinda, directing officials to actively promote it.

The minister said cotton cultivation increased to 1.2 lakh hectares in the state last season and efforts were underway to expand it further.

Highlighting the benefits of PBD 88, developed by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, he said the indigenous variety offered an average yield of 11 quintals per acre and it was less prone to diseases. “There are minimal chances of the crop falling sick. It also provides 3-4 pickings. I appeal to farmers to sow this variety on a portion of their land,” he said. Agriculture Development Officers (ADOs) had been directed to reach out to farmers and promote the seed, he said.