Punjab has chalked out a strategy to switch areas from paddy to maize and cotton cultivation as part of its crop diversification programme, according to the state’s additional chief secretary (development) Viswajeet Khanna, who said in the kharif season, the area under cotton is likely to rise by 30 per cent to 12.5 lakh acres from 9.7 lakh acres last year.
In 2018, the area under the crop was 6.62 lakh acres, which increased to 9.7 lakh acres in 2019. If this year’s target is achieved, the area under cotton would almost double in two years, according to a report in a top Indian newspaper.Punjab has chalked out a strategy to switch areas from paddy to maize and cotton cultivation as part of its crop diversification programme, according to the state's additional chief secretary (development) Viswajeet Khanna, who said in the kharif season, the area under cotton is likely to rise by 30 per cent to 12.5 lakh acres from 9.7 lakh acres last year.#
Around 21.5 lakh packets of Bt cotton seeds had been arranged and the agriculture department coordinated with the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to buy last season’s remaining cotton produce from farmers at the assured minimum support price, Khanna added.
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