The Agriculture Department Punjab has directed its staff of the agriculture extension & pest warning wings to initiate pest scouting of the cotton fields and report about cotton hot spots, if found, to their seniors so as to devise a strategy for controlling the situation.
The directives were issued by the Additional Secretary Agriculture (Task Force) Punjab Benish Fatima Sahi while presiding over a meeting to review cotton situation in field here on Friday. She said that Agriculture Department's top priority is to achieve cotton production target this year.
The meeting was attended by Director General Agriculture (Ext & AR) Syed Zafaryaab Haider, Subject Specialist Chaudhry Khalid Mehmood Director Cotton Dr Sageer along with other cotton experts.
Benish further said that field formation and monitoring teams should start weedicide and other practices for better yield of cotton. On this occasion, Benish Fatima Sahi also reviewed about price fluctuations of fertilizers and pesticide and their stock availability in market. She directed field staff to educate farmers about use of Hollowcon Nozzle for spray on cotton so that farmers get good results from pesticide spray. Field staff should report availability of White fly in the field. She further said that all stakeholders should burn their mid night oil to harvest bumper cotton crop this year. She disclosed that Rs 14 Million is being spent for provision of Agricultural Machinery to cotton growers and save cotton crop against Pink Bollworm attack, Rs 96.2 Million spent on PB Ropes that are being installed in all districts of Punjab.