Experts Urge Farmers to Shift Back to Cotton Cultivation to Address Declining Crop Area
By 2024-04-11 12:02:06
Professionals Encourage Farmers to Return to Growing Cotton in Order to Address Declining Crop Area
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and the state agriculture department are expressing concern over the gradual decrease in the area dedicated to cotton cultivation. To address this issue, they are urging field officers to engage with farmers and encourage them to return to cotton farming.
The initiative involves organizing farmer awareness camps and small meetings where farmers will be advised to opt for "PAU recommended varieties" of cotton seeds and avoid using substandard ones. The target is set to ensure that cotton is sown in at least 2 lakh hectares during the 2024-25 season, after it declined from 2 lakh hectares to 1.72 lakh hectares in the previous year.
Experts suggest that cotton is a more sustainable alternative to water-intensive crops like paddy, aiming to discourage farmers from sticking solely to paddy cultivation.
In a meeting of the interstate monitoring committee held in Bathinda, PAU Vice Chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal and Punjab Agriculture Department Director Jaswant Singh, along with officials from Haryana and Rajasthan, discussed strategies to safeguard the upcoming cotton sowing season from pest attacks.
The optimal time for cotton sowing is considered to be from late April to May 15. Gosal and Singh emphasized the need for a strategy to promote cotton cultivation, focusing on recommended varieties. Canal water will be made available to farmers starting April 15 to support this initiative.
Farmers will also receive guidance on proper spray techniques and other farming practices to prevent pest attacks. It's emphasized that leftover cotton sticks after harvesting need to be removed from fields before sowing.
The decline in cotton cultivation area is viewed as a significant concern for Punjab, and timely advisories are seen as crucial to retaining farmers' interest in cotton cultivation.
Additionally, scientists from Haryana and Rajasthan shared strategies from their respective states, contributing to the collective effort to revitalize cotton farming in the region.
