Centre issues directives to states to check adverse affect of white fly on cotton

The Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry has issued extensive directives to the states producing cotton to check the adverse affect of white fly on cotton. This step has been taken in view of the likely menace to the cotton crop in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan from white fly. Last year, white fly had inflicted tremendous damage to cotton in Punjab and Haryana. The sowing process of cotton is set in, in the beginning of April in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Central Cotton Research Regional Centre, Sirsa (Haryana) has recently held a meeting in which officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, Scientists of Indian Council of Agricultural Research and senior officials of Departments of Agriculture from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan reviewed the preventive measures to check the menace of white fly. Elaborate assessment and analysis has been carried out about the loss inflicted last year.

The directives highlighted that the sowing process may be carried out within the precincts of scheduled timeframe, only recommended seeds might be utilized, close watch might be kept on the movement of pests and timely sprinkling to check its spread. Indian Council of Agricultural Research has also provided a list of the pests resist seeds for the farmers. This year emphasis is being given on the timely sowing of cotton.