Joint director, Punjab agriculture, JS Bains says this year cotton is likely to make a revival in several Southwestern districts where paddy was grown in the last few seasons. Cotton, which is often termed by farmers as 'white gold' for bringing higher remuneration, is set to regain lost ground in Punjab where the area under the crop is expected to rise by more than 50 per cent after it fell to ever lowest 2.56 lakh hectares in the last year. The revival of the fibre is buttressed by the highest productivity of 756 lint kg per hectare in kharif season 2016-17 compared to lowest ever 197 lint kg per hectare in 2015-16.
Due to extensive damage caused by whitefly this kharif season cotton acreage is expected to jump over four lakh hectares in Punjab after two-years of consecutive decline in the area. In recent years farmers had opted for paddy in this region that traditionally grew cotton after yield declined and liberal sanction of new tube wells facilitated paddy sowing also the state has recorded highest ever cotton productivity in 2016-17 says, Bains.
By now, the expected revitalization of cotton has caused a spurt in demand for cotton hybrid seeds in North. There is also a rise in the demand for cotton hybrids in Punjab and Haryana. Further Bains says, this year the agriculture department has arranged for teams of surveillance, scouts to control the weeds.
