Punjab Agriculture Minister visits Mansa to assess pest infestation in cotton

Chandigarh, Aug 2 (PTI) Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian on Friday visited several villages in Mansa district to assess pest infestation in cotton crop.

In an official statement, Khuddian said the department's teams recently surveyed 198 spots in Mansa district and no hotspot of pink bollworm pest has been observed till now.

Only three spots were found where damage caused by the whitefly pest was above the economic threshold level (ETL), he added.

The minister said as many as 128 pest surveillance teams were formed under the supervision of two joint director-level officers for regular monitoring of the cotton crop to avert insect attack.

These teams have been monitoring the cotton crop in the districts of Muktsar, Fazilka, Faridkot, Moga, Bathinda, Mansa, Barnala and Sangrur.

The minister further said 274 fields were surveyed in Bathinda district by 52 teams.

Pest surveillance was done at 126 fields in Fazilka district by 15 pest surveillance teams, while 27 surveillance teams carried out surveillance in 163 plots in Sri Muktsar Sahib district and 13 teams carried out surveillance in 198 fields in Mansa district.

Khuddian said intensive surveillance has been carried out by these teams and added the farmers are being advised to use insecticides recommended by the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).

Cotton belt farmers are being continuously advised to irrigate the crop, he said. PTI CHS AS AS