Despite pushing farmers for timely sowing of crop to prevent pest attack, acreage under cotton in Punjab and Haryana remained far less than the targeted area.
Punjab has so far seen cotton sowing at 2.08 lakh hectares as against the target of 5 lakh hectares. The neighbouring state Haryana has seen 65 per cent sowing so far against the target of 6.20 lakh hectares.
Having witnessed massive damage by pest whitefly attack last year, agriculture departments of both states had asked cotton growers this season to complete sowing by May 15 which is considered ideal period as plantation after May 15, the crop become prone to pest attack.
Officials attributed to non-achievement of sowing target to farmers preferring other crops like paddy, pulses over cotton and non-availability of canal water.
"Growers are still scared of widespread attack of whitefly which caused massive damage to crop in Punjab and Haryana. They are shying away from sowing crop and looking at alternate crops like paddy, pulses, guar," former President of North India Cotton Association, Mahesh Sharda said.
Farm experts feel that the acreage under crop in Punjab will restrict to about 3.30 lakh hectares as against target of 5 lakh hectares. Last year, Punjab had seen cotton acreage of 4.50 lakh hectares.
In Haryana, the sowing may reach 5.50 lakh hectares against target of 6.20 lakh hectares.
Officials claimed that cotton sowing in both states would now complete within May month.
In several areas of Punjab, about 80,000 hectares of area could not brought under cotton because of non-availability of canal water in distributaries of Sirhind canal.
Water supply to Muktsar, Fazilka and Bathinda was affected because of repair of Lambi, Arniwala and Bhagsar minors, official said.
Experts of agriculture departments of Punjab and Haryana undertook training programmes for growers at village levels to timely sow crop with recommended varieties, along with other steps prevent reoccurrence of massive crop damage.
Last season, whitefly -pest attack had caused widespread damage to Bt cotton varieties in Punjab and Haryana and had witnessed dip of about 40 per cent in output.
In Punjab, 1.36 lakh hectares out of total 4.50 lakh hectares of cotton acreage was damaged by whitefly attack while in Haryana, out of 5.83 lakh hectares, 3.06 lakh hectares was in the grip of pest attack.
Punjab and Haryana this season also encouraged growers to grow 'Desi' cotton as domestic variety has resistance to whitefly attack.
