Experts foresee a five percent increase in cotton area this year pinning hopes on farmers who are sowing the silver fibre across the country at a good pace.
Growers of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan have so far achieved 85 percent of their sowing targets, while the NWFP farmers completed 70 percent of the task, said Mohammad Islam Gill, director Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) Multan, while talking to APP on Saturday.
"Farmers are enthusiastically and industriously participating in the sowing activity after getting handsome returns last year and a good incentive package announced by President Pervez Musharraf recently.
Around five percent increase in cotton area looks achievable this year in the country as compared to the last year's cotton-sown area," said the CCRI researcher and hoped that some 99 percent of sowing would be completed by June 20.
The cotton-sowing target last year was set at 28,60,000 hectares, however, growers had surpassed it bringing 29,95,000 hectares under cotton cultivation.
The Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) has now fixed the sowing target at 31,40,000 hectares for the on-going cotton season with 2500,000 hectares for Punjab, 590,000 hectares for Sindh, 40,000 hectares for Balochistan and 10,000 hectares for the NWFP.
Last year, cotton production was recorded at 10.3 million bales, marginally below the target of 10.5 million bales.
TARGET RAISED: This year the production target has been increased to 10.720 million bales. Researchers and the agriculture department officials are interacting with farmers to help them achieve the target, he said.
In Punjab, so far, no virus attack has been reported as per reports from CCRI and agriculture extension officers, Gill said.
CCRI Multan scientists had spotted, in 2001, the attack of a new kind of virus, on virus-resistant varieties of cotton at Burewala.
In 2002, the symptoms of this virus attack were observed to be intense in Vehari, Khanewal and in some areas of Burewala.
However, in 2003, its intensity reduced due to appropriate strategy adopted by the agriculture department and research institutions, he said.
Agriculture department has recommended sowing of virus-tolerant varieties, which are far less susceptible to the attack. These varieties are: CIM 506, CIM 499, CIM 473, CIM 707, CIM 446, CIM 443, Nayab 111, Nayab 999, and FH-1000.
Research work is under progress to develop new virus-resistant varieties against the new kind of virus, said the official. The Federal government has already released funds for the purpose, he added.
He has advised the farmers to use only the recommended varieties. Expressing his concern that some farmers were purchasing seeds other than the registered varieties at heavy prices, he urged them to refrain from such practice.
He has directed the farmers to remove weeds in time as their presence invites pests and white fly-the only cause of the spread of virus.
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