The decision comes keeping in view a bumper production in 2020 and no major pest outbreak in the crop for the last five years
CHANDIGARH NEWS : Punjab agriculture department to add 50,000 hectares under cotton cultivation in Malwa
The decision comes keeping in view a bumper production in 2020 and no major pest outbreak in the crop for the last five years
By Vishal Joshi, | Bathinda
MAR 20, 2021
Keeping in view a bumper production in 2020 and no major pest outbreak in the crop for the last five years, the Punjab agriculture department has decided to add 50,000 hectares under cotton cultivation in the Malwa region this year. This will be an increase of 10% over the current area of 5 lakh hectares. The sowing for the major cash crop in eight semi-arid districts of the region will start from next month.
Experts say as farmers received good rates for their produce and global and domestic demand of raw cotton is increasing, more growers will be motivated to diversify towards the cash crop. If the state authorities manage to achieve the set target, it will be the highest since the 2010 season of 5.16 lakh hectares.
State agriculture director Sukhdev Sidhu said, “Cotton sowing will start from April 1 and the department is planning to increase area under the traditional kharif crop. We have put all arrangements in place to meet the target and 25 lakh packets of seeds will be made available to farmers.” (Source: www.hindustantimes.com)