Move to bring 3L hectares under cotton cultivation

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 14

Agriculture Director Dr Sutantar Kumar has said they were aiming for an area of 3 lakh hectares under the cotton cultivation in the state this year.

He cautioned the farmers not to go for purchase of cotton seeds from Gujarat and ensure that they take bill at the time of buying seeds.

Dr Kumar stated this while addressing a meeting of the agriculture officials from various districts falling under the cotton belt.

He issued strict instructions to the seed dealers that legal action would be initiated against them, if they didn’t provide proper bills to the farmers buying seeds. He said they were ensuring supply of canal water and electricity for achieving the target area in the cotton belt. He reviewed preparations to deal with the threat of white fly, including awareness camps for the farmers.

Senior department officials revealed that they had arranged 20 lakh packets of various varieties of cotton seeds approved by the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) so that the farmers didn’t face any shortage of seeds. The director asked the officials to keep a close watch on the crop.

Farm experts and chief agricultural officers from eight districts of cotton belt attended the meeting.