PUNJAB EYES SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN WHITE GOLD ACREAGE

• Agriculture Minister urges farmers to use PAU recommended cotton seeds
• PAU certified & recommended 87 varieties of hybrid cotton seeds for cultivation during upcoming Kharif season
• 264 Nodal Officers assigned to seven southwestern districts for effective management of pink bollworm & whitefly
• Gurmeet Khudian orders department officials to ensure availability of quality seeds & fertilisers, besides regular checking of seed & fertilisers stores

Chandigarh, March 11:

On the onset of cotton sowing season, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare department has intensified efforts to expand the acreage of the crop, often referred to as ‘white gold’, while ensuring the availability of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU)-certified cotton seeds to the farmers across the state.

Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian, along with Additional Chief Secretary Mr. Anurag Verma and VC of PAU Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, held a meeting to review the preparations made by the department for upcoming sowing of the Kharif crops in the state.

During the meeting, the Agriculture Minister highlighted that PAU has recommended 87 varieties of hybrid cotton seeds for cultivation in the state during the upcoming Kharif season. He urged farmers to use only these recommended certified seeds to maximise their yield.

To address the persistent issue of pink bollworm infestation, S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that the department has deployed 264 nodal officers across seven southwestern districts- Bathinda-70, Fazilka-41, Sri Muktsar Sahib-62, Mansa-42, Sangrur-20, Barnala-16, Faridkot-13. These officers are tasked with managing and cleaning cotton stalks and leftover residues from the previous season, which serve as breeding grounds for the pink bollworm, he said, while adding that so far, around 32 per cent of the total cotton stalk heaps have been managed/cleaned.

Additionally, a weed eradication campaign has also been initiated in the cotton belt for management of whitefly. The campaign is launched with the support of district administration, other departments and MGNREGA to destroy weeds standing alongside roads, canals and in abandoned sites etc. Monitoring activities of pink bollworm in ginning factories are going on with the help of officials of Punjab Mandi Board and fumigation of cotton stock will be carried out to control pink bollworm larvae in the ginneries.

Reaffirming the commitment of the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government to safeguard the rights of farmers, S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian urged the farmers to get proper receipts/bills for all agricultural purchases, especially seeds and fertilisers. He emphasised that these receipts are essential for ensuring product quality and providing legal protection in case of disputes or substandard goods.

S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian also directed the department officials to ensure the availability of quality seeds and fertilisers and to conduct regular checking at seed and fertilisers stores. This proactive approach aims to protect farmers from potentially harmful or ineffective agricultural inputs.

The Director of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare department apprised the Cabinet Minister that they have been working closely with the Water Resources department to ensure timely canal water availability for cotton sowing in the southwestern districts. The agriculture department has already submitted a schedule of water requirements to the Water Resources department.

Director Research PAU Dr. Ajmer Singh Dhatt, Technical Advisor PWRDA Chandigarh Rajesh Vashisht and other officials of the department were also present in the meeting.