Punjab's cotton crop faces pink bollworm threat; traders unperturbed

22 Aug '23

2 min read

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Punjab's cotton crop is threatened by pink bollworm due to moisture and heavy rains affecting 8 districts.
This is the third consecutive year of such infestations.
State government has deployed officials to assist farmers and requested daily field reports.
The officers are assisting the affected white gold belt, where the next 15 days are vital for the crop.

Punjab's cotton crop has come under the threat of pink bollworm due to excessive moisture in the growing districts. The state government has acted promptly, deputing officials from the state agriculture department to guide and assist farmers with preventive measures. Initial reports indicate a threat in around eight districts due to heavy rains and flooding in the north-west and south-west regions of the states.

Eight districts have been grappling with floods for the past few days, according to media reports. Additionally, the cotton-producing region of the state currently faces a threat from an infestation of pink bollworm in its cotton fields. It is the third consecutive year that the state's cotton crop has faced such diseases.

In response, the state government has appointed officials in the affected districts and has asked for daily status reports from field visits to ensure swift and diligent action to curb the infestation.

The Malwa belt of Punjab, known as the ‘white gold belt’, includes Sri Muktsar Sahib, Bathinda, Fazilka, and Mansa districts that produce cotton. The state government has dispatched four senior officers to aid the affected belt. The next 15 days are crucial for the cotton crop, as the pink bollworm attack occurred during the flowering stage. The bollworm can destroy cotton flowers, severely impacting overall production.

However, traders are not overly concerned about the infestation, viewing it as a regular problem. They hope that the actual damage will be limited. Satish Sharma, a trader from Bathinda, told Fibre2fashion, "It is not a very severe problem in the state. Worm attacks were reported in a few hundred acres of the cotton crop. It is not too large against the total crop area of 1.70 lakh hectares."

Although trade sources said it was too early to assess the impact on the crop, they believe the actual picture will be cleared in time.

The state faced similar infestations in the last couple of years, which dented overall cotton production. After significant losses in previous years, farmers have been deterred from growing the cash crop. Cotton acreage has reduced to 1.70 lakh hectares for the coming season 2023-24, down from 2.49 lakh hectares during the concluding season.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)

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