Gujarat Bt cotton seed makes way into Punjab illegally

Tribune News Service

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Bathinda, May 2

Gujarat Bt cotton seed has made its way into Punjab illegally with state farmers falling for the claims of traders from there that their cotton seed was pink bollworm resistant.

Following a video that purportedly showed pink bollworm in a packet of seed going viral, the Agriculture Department has swung into action and constituted 53 teams in Bathinda district to check supply of the cotton seed from Gujarat. While farmers in the region have reportedly bought the cotton seed from Gujarat, the Agriculture Department has claimed there is no seed which can stop the attack of whitefly or pink bollworm.

Sukhpal Singh, a farmer from Malkana village, bought the cotton seed from Gujarat. When he opened the packet, he was shocked to see pink bollworm-infested seed. Despite this, the farmer sowed the seed on his two acres, but only a handful of plants came out. After waiting for many days unsuccessfully, he ploughed the cotton crop.

Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Pakhar Singh said: “We are not allowing any Gujarat Bt cotton seed in the state, but some farmers on their own have brought these seed here. After a video went viral in which pink bollworm was found in a packet of these seed, we constituted 45 teams to conduct checks. If any such seed is found, strict action will be taken,” he said.

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