Punjab records highest yield of cotton crop at 780 kg per hectare

The cotton crop in Punjab has recorded the highest yield of 780 kg lint per hectare this season on account of supply of good quality inputs and farmer awareness programmes launched by the agriculture department, an official said.

"Cotton recorded the highest ever yield of 780 kg lint per hectare as compared to yield of 750 kg per lint per hectare last year," Punjab Agriculture Secretary K S Pannu said here Tuesday.

With a total area of 2.84 lakh hectares under the fibre, the state is estimating an output of 13.03 lakh bales, the official said.

In 2016, the state had achieved a yield of 756 kg per lint per hectare, an official said.

Last year, the total cotton output was 12.83 lakh bales.

"The department of agriculture, Punjab Agricultural University and farmers took various measures this season in advance for ensuring quality inputs for cotton production.

"Good quality seeds, evaluated and recommended by PAU, were supplied to cotton growers and awareness campaign regarding sowing of recommended varieties of seed was launched. Further, the sale of un-recommended seeds normally coming from Gujarat was not allowed to be sold," said Pannu while pointing out the reasons for achieving the highest ever yield.

An official of the agriculture department said the consumption of pesticides this season reduced by 40 per cent as compared to last year.

An advance campaign to eradicate alternative weed host also helped in curbing the problem of multiplication of whitefly attack, the official said.

Cotton growers also fetched Rs 800 per quintal more for the crop as compared to last year's prices.

"Against the minimum support price of Rs 5,350 per quintal, farmers got Rs 5,600- to 5,700 per quintal for cotton. The rates were at least Rs 800 a quintal more than what they got last year," said another official.