The cotton crop in South Punjab, particularly in Vehari district, is facing a severe crisis. Due to deadly diseases like fungus, mites as well as rapidly changing weather conditions, there is a fear of a 40 per cent reduction in cotton production.
Farmers said that on the one hand there are unpredictable weather patterns wreaking havoc, while on the other hand diseases have brought the crop to the brink of destruction, leaving them in great distress.
Local farmers Ahmed Yar Khan Khakwani and Kashif Aziz Numberdar said that cotton bolls are forming but fruits are not developing. In the evening, the cotton leaves are perfectly fine, but in the morning they are found withered and drooping.
Diseases like fungus and mites are silent killers that are invisible to the eye but hollowing the crop out from within.
They said the cost of cultivation of the crop per acre is continuously increasing. However, under the current circumstances, not only is the crop yield declining, but even the expenses on agricultural pesticides and seeds are not being recovered, they claimed.
Agricultural expert Chaudhry Ehteshamul Haq Ghoshi also expressed concern over the current condition of cotton crop and said that the constant fluctuation in climate between hot, cold and humid is adversely affecting the cotton growth. Climate change has not only spurred the spread of diseases but also weakened the crop's resistance.
He recommended that farmers spray pesticides when leaves droop and, if possible, uproot the affected plants. He stressed that the government and seed companies need to develop seeds that can effectively combat climatic extremes and diseases.
Fayyaz Ahmed Chattha and Liaqat Chattha, leaders of the Pakistan Seed Association, stated that they are working to introduce a seed next year that will be resistant to climate extremes, fungus, and mite-related diseases. They acknowledged the farmers' difficulties and said that their needs are being taken into account in the development of quality seeds so that yields can improve and farmer prosperity can be ensured.
The agricultural experts and farmers demand that the government and the agriculture department immediately take action at the field level in Vehari and other affected districts to protect cotton from diseases, monitor the crops, and guide farmers.
They said that in light of climate change, national-level policy-making is essential to enhance crop resistance. The impact on cotton crops in a key producing district like Vehari is not just a loss for farmers but a major setback for the national economy, they cautioned.
Cotton not only supplies raw material to the textile industry but also provides livelihoods to millions of families. If timely and effective measures are not taken, further decline in cotton cultivation and growing farmer frustration could be expected in the next season, they added.
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