Cotton crop would be as per target:Director General Agriculture

Lahore: As many as 57,80,000 acres have been brought under cotton crop against target of 60,00,000 acres in Punjab, out of which 48,93,000 acres consist of core areas of cotton crop. This was disclosed in a review meeting of cotton crop situation at Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan. The meeting was attended by Dr. Noor-ul-Islam, Director General Agriculture (Research) Punjab, Dr. Anjum Ali, Director General Agriculture (Ext. & A.R) Punjab, Dr. Abid Mehmood, Director Cotton, Dr. Muhammad Saleem, Director Entomology, Muhammad Zahid, Director Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan, M. Rafiq Akhtar, Director Agricultural Information Punjab, Dr. Zafar Qureshi, Director Bio-Technology, representatives of NIBGE and many progressive farmers including Mr. Fakhar Imam, former Speaker National Assembly as well as field extension workers.

Director General Agriculture (Ext. & A.R) Punjab told that decrease in area of cotton crop is due to increase in area brought under sugarcane crop. He told that area under sugarcane crop has increased to 1.8 million acre this year as compared to area of 1.5 million acre last year. He further told that attack of worm has been observed on cotton crop which was sown in March whereas the crop sown in May is safe from its attack. The experts were of the view that current atmospheric temperature is quite favorable for attack of Boll Worms however, cotton crop has been saved against these insect pests due to cultivation of BT cotton on large scale in Punjab. He said in order to save cotton crop from worm attack farmers should adopt better crop management practices, conduct pest scouting twice a week and use spray of appropriate pesticides as recommended by local agricultural functionary. Farmers demanded that BT Cotton varieties should be given legal cover for which letter is pending with National Bio-Safety Committee at federal level.