Punjab Government has launched an ambitious programme for this kharif season of complete mechanisation of cotton cultivation in an area spread over 4,000 acres in south west Punjab.
The cultivation of cotton is the only activity where manual operations are conducted in the current scenario of agriculture when almost complete mechanisation of various agriculture operations has been achieved in Punjab.
“Encouraging results of last year project in an area of 1,400 acres in Fazilka and Muktsar districts have prompted the government to expand the project in 4,000 acres this year, with complete mechanization from sowing to picking to cotton drying,” said the state Agriculture Minister Tota Singh. He said that the project has been expanded so that the technology could be successfully demonstrated to the cotton cultivators.
Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) has been asked to further improve the packages and practices required for cotton cultivation under new mechanised crop production regime.
He said that a project involving various stakeholders like Central Government, Punjab Government, PAU ludhiana, John Deere India limited, Bayer India limited, Bajaj Steel limited, Punjab Mandi Board, and Punjab Agro Industries Corporation is being coordinated by Punjab Agro Industries Corporation’s managing director KS Pannu.
Pannu has been spear heading the project for the last two seasons, he said.
Singh said that 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 the rate of `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
The Minister said that three Cotton Picking Machines of John Deere have been imported by Punjab Agro Industries Corporation and shall be used on custom hiring basis. Cotton cleaning and drying machine worth `1.25 crore purchased by Punjab Mandi Board has been installed at Market Committee, Malout, he added.
He appealed the farmers to use only PAU recommended varieties including Rasi 650m BG 2, NCS 855 Bollguard 2, Ankur 3028 Bollguard BG 2, MRC 7071 Bollguard 2, MRC 7031 Bollguard 2 and others and also asked to them to get bill at every purchase.