Cotton crop doing well despite enduring rains, flood.

MULTAN -- Cotton crop was doing well after having endured heavy monsoon rains, flood and heatwave and production target was likely in sight, officials said in a briefing to Punjab minister for agriculture Syed Hussain Jahanian Gardezi.

Gardezi who chaired the maiden meeting after assuming the office as provincial agriculture minister to review crop situation at Mango Research Institute (MRI) in Multan, said that future of cotton largely hinged on how fast farmers adopt the Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a model that prescribed delayed and lower application of pesticides to keep friendly pests alive and rely mostly on bio-pesticides to counter enemy pests. He said, IPM model not only increases production but also reduces cost.

Minister said that agriculture economy growth mostly dependent on performance of cotton crop and also contribute significantly to the national economy. He reiterated Punjab government's commitment to continue to strive for cotton crop rehabilitation and survival as a top priority.

Gardezi appreciated the team work of the agriculture department that ensured cotton survival last year and improved cotton sown area this year in south Punjab.

He said that cotton crop needed good care in August and September. Situation on the ground shows there was no need to plunge into hopelessness, he said and promised efforts to reach nearest possible to the production target...

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