A five-member committee of agriculture experts from both Haryana and Punjab has been constituted to find ways to control the impact of whitefly on cotton crop. The committee would submit its report in one month.
A decision to this effect was taken in a joint meeting held in the presence of Haryana Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar and Punjab Agriculture Minister Tota Singh on Thursday. Senior officers of agriculture department of both States and agriculture scientists were also present in the meeting.
Talking to reporters later, Dhankar said that both Haryana and Punjab have lot of similarity in terms of soil, soil fertility and environment. He said that white fly is common problem of both Haryana and Punjab as it has adversely affected the crop in both the States. He reminded that Haryana Chief
Minister Manohar lal and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal also discussed this issue in a meeting held between them on Wednesday.
Dhankar said that the work of special girdawari has been started in the State to access the extent of damage to crop caused due to white fly. He said that with a view to ensure that the problems of white fly do not occur in future, a 5-member committee has been constituted which also comprised of Vice-Chancellors of Ch Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University,
Hisar and Punjab Agricultural University, ludhiana. This committee would submit its report in a month.
In reply to a question, the Agriculture Minister said that the actual loss to the crop could be accessed after the completion of girdawari . The parameter for the compensation of loss would be same as that is followed in case of wheat crop.
On being asked about the loss being faced by the farmers due to the use of sub standard seeds, he said that if the seeds fail the sample, the concerned companies would be held responsible for the same.
He said that the aim of the present State government is not only to increase the income of farmers but also the soil health. He said that the government is also making concerted efforts to promote other high yielding crops with the use of less fertilizers.