Dept fails to bring 50K hectares under cotton crop in Muktsar

Tribune News Service

Archit Watts

Muktsar, June 19

The Agriculture Department has failed to achieve its target of bringing 50,000 hectares under the cotton crop this year in the Muktsar district.

As per the report, this cash crop has been sown on 37,080 hectares. Last year, cotton was cultivated on 32,189 hectares in the district.

Sown on 37,080 hectares

• As per a report, the cash crop has been sown on 37,080 hectares. Last year, cotton was cultivated on 32,189 hectares in the district.
• The department officials said they were hopeful of bringing 40K hectares under cotton, however, the closure of Sirhind Feeder canal, affected the sowing.

The department officials said they were hopeful of bringing more than 40,000 hectares under cotton cultivation, however, the closure of Sirhind Feeder canal for around 20 days, which supplied water to a number of distributaries, affected the sowing.

Last year, the pink bollworm had damaged cotton crop in most parts of the state. “The rise in cotton price, which even went up to Rs 11,000 per quintal, attracted a number of farmers to grow cotton this year,” said agriculture experts.

Notably, the optimum time to sow cotton crop lasts till May 15, but the late sowing goes on till June 15, which can be prone to diseases. Meanwhile, there have been reports of “pink bollworm attack” on cotton crop in Mansa.

Gurpreet Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Muktsar, said, “We were hopeful that the area under cotton crop will increase this year. However, the breach in Sirhind Feeder canal, at a time when the sowing was under full swing, affected the sowing. Just a few farmers have sown the crop after the resumption of water supply in the canal. Still, the area under the cotton crop has increased in comparison to the last year.”

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