Punjab government today said it has launched an ambitious programme of complete mechanisation of cotton cultivation over an area spread over 4,000 acres in south west Punjab in current Kharif season.
Stating this, Tota Singh, Agriculture Minister, Punjab stated encouraging results of last year project in an area of 1,400 acres in Fazilka and Muktsar has prompted the government to expand the project in 4,000 acres this year, with complete mechanization from sowing to picking to cotton drying.
He said project has been expanded so that the technology could be successfully demonstrated to the cotton cultivators.
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PAU has been asked to further improve the packages and practices required for cotton cultivation under new mechanized crop production regime.
Minister said hydraulic cotton seed planters have been arranged which are being provided to the farmers on custom hire basis and subsidy for purchase of special Cotton Seeds under the project at a rate of Rs 3,000 per acre is being given to farmers.
Growth regulating chemicals with a view to fix the plant height to four and half feet are being imported as also the chemicals for defoliation of the crop before picking of Cotton, he said.
Three Cotton Picking machines have been imported by Punjab Agro Industries Corporation and shall be used on custom hiring basis. Cotton cleaning and drying machine worth Rs 1.25 crore purchased by Punjab Mandi Board has been installed at Market Committee, Malout.
He appealed farmers to use only PAU recommended seed varieties including Rasi 650m BG 2, NCS 855 Bollguard 2, Ankur 3028 Bollguard BG 2, MRC 7071 Bollguard 2, MRC 7031 Bollguard 2.
