Mar 23, 2022
The Haryana agriculture department has set a target of increasing area under cotton production up to 19.25 lakh acre in the 2022 Kharif season even though during the previous season, cotton was grown on 15.90 lakh acre.
Cotton is mainly grown in Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, Bhiwani, Jind, Sonepat, Palwal, Gurugram, Faridabad, Rewari, and Charkhi Dadri districts, an official spokesperson said, pointing out that during the previous season, cotton was infested with pink ball worm to some extent in few pockets of the state and losses in the yield were noticed.
Keeping in view the serious threat of pink ball worm to cotton crop, additional chief secretary (agriculture and farmers’ welfare) Sumita Misra has directed the field staff to complete farmers’ awareness campaign and ensure cleaning of old cotton sticks/piles and fumigation of cotton ginning factories and oils mills in the state by March 31.
The spokesperson said taking note of the said threat, the department has already covered about 85% of the villages in the cotton-growing districts and educated farmers of the areas through kisan melas and trainings by involving CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar and private firms. The department has also chalked out a weekly activity calendar to increase area under cotton cultivation and to implement advisories throughout the cropping season for better production.
Hardeep Singh, director general (agriculture), is leading the campaign of cleaning the old stock of cotton sticks in villages and fumigation of cotton factories. Among other initiatives being taken up, the spokesperson said special emphasis has been given to management of the pink ball worm to avoid yield losses. Also, the department has issued advisory to all cotton ginning and pressing factories to ensure fumigation of their premises. An advisory flex board has also been displayed on premises of the said firms. “The license of these firms will be renewed after compliance of fumigation advisory and producing certificate thereof,” the spokesperson said. (Source: www.hindustantimes.com)