One-third of cotton area in Punjab under pink bollworm pest attack
Cotton pest pink bollworm spreading its tentacles rapidly as it is above economic threshold level in many Punjab districts, especially Mansa and Bathinda, says agriculture department
Nearly one-third (33%) of a total of 3.25 lakh hectares of area under cotton cultivation in Punjab is presently under attack of the pink bollworm pest, officials of the state agriculture department said.
Adding to the worries of cotton growers and the agriculture department, the pest is spreading its tentacles rapidly as it is above economic threshold level in many districts, especially Mansa and Bathinda. It means there are more than six adult pink bollworm insect present in a leaf.
Economic threshold is a level at which monetary returns remain higher than the cost of controlling the pest. The state government has ordered special girdwari (assessment) to ascertain the damage to the cotton crop after the pest attack.
Agriculture experts fear that the pest attack has entered a phase wherein it would not only reduce the crop yield but will also result in huge financial losses to farmers.
Several farmers in Bathinda and Mansa have ploughed their standing crop as it got completely damaged due to the pest attack.
State agriculture commissioner BS Sidhu said the department will provide all logistical and technical support to the farmers to control further infestation of pink bollworm. “We are monitoring the situation closely,” he said.
Agriculture director Sukhdev Singh Sidhu said the exact damage could be ascertained only after special girdwari ordered by the state government. “The pest attack is scattered. For instance, it has largely affected health of the crop in a village, but there is minimal impact in adjacent areas,” Sidhu said.
Officials are carrying out field surveys on a regular basis to gather first-hand information on the pest attack impact so that corrective measures could be taken, he added.
Sangrur chief agriculture officer Jaswinderpal Singh Grewal said 2,600 hectare area in Sunam and Lehragaga sub-divisions is under cotton cultivation. “The pest has not crossed economic threshold here as yet. But it is spreading from one field to other at a rapid speed which is a cause of worry,” he said.
First major attack since 2015
An official said it is the first major pest attack on cotton crop in the state since 2015 when a severe whitefly attack was reported.
The crop had witnessed extensive damage as nearly 75% of total area faced pest attack. The cotton yield had reduced to 197kg per hectare than 544kg per hectare in 2014.
The cotton production witnessed a steep fall from 13.47 lakh bales to 3.86 lakh bales.
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