Cotton Sowing Hits Record Low in Punjab, Lagging Far Behind Target
By 2024-06-03 12:03:46
Punjab Cotton Sowing Sets New Low and Fall Short of Goal
Efforts to conserve water took a hit this cropping season in Punjab as the area under cotton cultivation fell to less than 1 lakh hectares for the first time. The Punjab government had aimed to increase cotton sowing to 2 lakh hectares from 1.73 lakh hectares in the 2023-24 season. However, according to data from the Punjab Agriculture Department, cotton was sown on only 92,454 hectares as of May 29.
Cotton, a traditional crop in Punjab, is usually grown in specific areas and is considered a main alternative to water-intensive crops. The ideal time to sow cotton is until May 15, but sowing can continue until May 31 or even the first week of June. Despite the introduction of BT cotton in the mid-2000s, which initially saw considerable uptake, cotton cultivation has faced significant challenges in recent years.
In 2015, a whitefly attack severely damaged the crop, with nearly 60% of the yield affected. Farmers received compensation of Rs 8,000 per acre only after prolonged protests. Subsequent years saw infestations of pink bollworm and whitefly, leading to a drastic reduction in cotton cultivation. For the first time in decades, sowing dropped to less than 2 lakh hectares in the 2023-24 season. Now, in a significant setback, it has fallen below 1 lakh hectares.
The failure to contain pest attacks has been attributed to spurious seeds and pesticides. Farmers have expressed frustration over the lack of efforts to restore their confidence in cotton cultivation. Persistent crop damage, insufficient compensation, and the absence of a crop insurance scheme have led many farmers to abandon cotton. “We are fed up with the losses of cultivating cotton. Now we have decided to return to paddy where we are assured of handsome returns,” said Karnail Singh, a farmer from Sangat.
