BATHINDA : First picking of cotton balls has started in the semi-arid districts of Punjab amid field inputs of drop in the impact of pest attacks on the ‘white gold’, giving much relief to farmers.
State agriculture officials said the average yield of 2-4 quintals in the key four cotton-growing districts of Fazilka, Bathinda Mansa and Muktsar in the maiden harvesting cycle may give a push to the traditional crop of the region in the next kharif season.
Going with the initial trend, experts hope for impressive yield this time as the flowering is bumper.
In the 2022-23 kharif season, farmers had sown cotton over 2.48 lakh hectares and total production was less than 7 lakh quintal. Experts, however, predict that the yield may touch 29 lakh quintal this season.
As per the state agriculture data, cotton was grown over 1.75 lakh hectares, the lowest-ever acreage in the state, this year. It was attributed to attacks by deadly pests of pink bollworm and whitefly in 2021 and 2022 and apprehending losses, farmers opted to stay away from cultivating cotton.
However, favourable climatic conditions and the state agriculture department’s push to make farmers use only recommended varieties of the cash crop worked this season.
Principal entomologist of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Vijay Kumar said on Sunday that the threat of whitefly on the cotton plants is over and pink bollworm infestation is in the last stage. Farmers may have to use pesticides till September 20, he added.
“As the cotton plants are nearing 110 days, there are minimal chances of whitefly infestation as leaves are left with no or little juice for the pest survival. Field surveys suggest that the pink bollworm is under control but the next three weeks are important to contain attack by the deadly pest,” he said.
Bathinda chief agriculture officer Hassan Singh said prolonged dry season in the cotton belt during monsoon has proved a boon for the major kharif crop of the region.
“Last year, stunted growth of plants was witnessed across the cotton belt and it was mainly due to the use of unrecommended varieties and pest attacks that left the plant weak. But this time, plant health is good and they have attained a height of about 5 feet which indicates good yield. The state government provided recommended varieties with subsidies to ensure use of quality seeds,” he said.
Muktsar chief agriculture officer Gurpreet Singh said the average yield of 2 quintals is good and if farmers follow advisories on pest control management, the per acre yield may touch 10 quintals in the next two harvesting cycles.
According to Punjabi Mandi Board’s nodal officer for cotton Manish Kumar, farmers have started reaching mandis of all four main districts with cotton in small quantities.
“According to rough estimates, the cotton yield is likely to touch 29 lakh quintal which was recorded in the 2021-22 kharif season. It will be an achievement after a dismal season in 2022,” he added.
The mandi board data says the private players are offering between ₹5,000 and ₹7,200 per quintal to cotton growers against the current kharif marketing season’s minimum support price (MSP) of ₹6,620 per quintal for medium staple and ₹7,020 for long staple.
More than 5,000 quintals of raw cotton was purchased in different mandis till Sunday. “Cotton arrival in mandis will pick up by mid-September and it will reach the peak in October. Stakeholders are keeping their fingers crossed on the market rates in the coming weeks,” said a market watcher.
