LAHORE: Secretary Agriculture, Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo said here on Wednesday that Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) will soon start procurement to ensure better compensation of cotton to the farmers.

He was chairing a meeting about Cotton Crop Management and Monitoring 2023 at Lahore today.

Additional Secretary Agriculture (Task Force), Punjab Muhammad Shabbir Ahmed Khan, Director General Agriculture (Extension) Dr. Anjum Ali, Director General Agriculture (Pest Warning) Punjab Rana Faqir Ahmed, Chief Scientist Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad Dr. Akhtar, MD Punjab Seed Corporation Shan-ul-Haq, Director General Agriculture (Crop Reporting), Punjab Dr. Abdul Qayyum and others attended the meeting.

Secretary Agriculture, South Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel, Chairman Ginners Association Chaudhry Bilal along with Dr Javed from APTMA, Dr. Iqbal Bandisha participated online.

While giving a briefing on this occasion, the representative of PCGA told the Secretary of Agriculture, Punjab that the harvesting process of early cotton (February planted) is going on and this year, the production is getting better than last year. There are about 60 ginning factories working in the province and so far, a record number of yarn has reached in ginning factories.

Director General Agriculture (Extension) Dr. Anjum Ali said that the condition of cotton is very good in Punjab, especially in DG Khan, Bahawalpur and Multan. The attack of whitefly, Jassid and Thrips has been observed in some places but it has not reached the economic threshold level (ETL) and upon receiving the report, the teams of Agriculture Extension and Pest Warning are immediately for control it.

On this occasion, Secretary Agriculture, Punjab directed that cotton pest scouting, surveillance, monitoring and the attack of harmful insects should be controlled in a timely manner. Two months are particularly important in this regard. All divisional directors should increase field inspection and go to the field along with divisional expert groups to provide technical guidance to farmers. He added that the weather is favourable for cotton crop and pest infestation is also within economic limits. This year, the cotton production target will be achieved with the cooperation of all stakeholders.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023