Bathinda: Punjab’s area under cotton cultivation has declined sharply over the last decade, driven by erratic rainfall, extreme temperatures during the growing season, pest infestations, and a shift to more lucrative crops. Union minister of state for textiles Pabitra Margherita highlighted these challenges in a written response to Punjab MP Raghav Chadha in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.
To address these issues, the agriculture and farmers’ welfare department has been implementing the Cotton Development Programme under the National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) since the financial year 2014-15. This is to enhance the production and productivity of cotton across its 15 major growing states, including Punjab.
Increasing minimum support price (MSP) is the first measure, followed by timely water supply from canals, financial support during the pink bollworm infestations, and subsidies on seeds. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) conducted training, field visits, and demonstrations to disseminate best practices for managing pests and diseases. Under the Crop Diversification Programme for the year 2024-25, it conducted 6,000 demonstrations to promote sustainable farming practices.
The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) plays a key role in stabilizing cotton prices by procuring crops at MSP when market prices fall below the threshold. However, the volume of procurement has declined significantly in recent years, from 3.56 lakh bales procured in 2019-20 to only 38,000 bales procured in 2023-24.
Chadha attributed the decade-long decline in Punjab’s cotton crop to climatic challenges, pest infestations, and soil degradation. He asked the central govt about its plans to provide targeted technological and financial support to address these challenges and promote sustainable cotton farming in the region. Minister Margherita acknowledged the drop and outlined initiatives to aid farmers, including higher MSP and financial relief.
