Rana Gurjeet Urges Timely Release of Bollgard-III Cotton Seeds to Protect Punjab Farmers
Kapurthala, April 20
Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh today passionately urged the Government of India and the Punjab Government to safeguard cotton farmers and preserve the environment by ensuring the timely release of Bollgard-III BT cotton seeds. He emphasized the need to prevent the permanent shift of cotton cultivation to water-intensive paddy, which threatens both the state’s economy and ecological balance.
Welcoming the Punjab Government’s initiative to provide a 33% subsidy on cotton seeds, Singh stressed that more decisive measures are required to revive the “white gold” crop that has historically transformed the fortunes of farmers, particularly in the Malwa belt. “The subsidy is a positive step, but we need bold actions to protect this vital crop,” he stated.
Singh highlighted that the subsidized BT hybrid seeds are outdated and ineffective against the pink bollworm pest, which has devastated cotton crops in recent years. The area under cotton cultivation has plummeted from 8 lakh hectares (25% of Punjab’s seasonal cultivated land) to just 98,000 hectares last year, underscoring the urgency of adopting advanced seed varieties.
The legislator called for the immediate clearance of Bollgard-III seeds, which are currently under trial at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, for the second consecutive year and awaiting approval from the Central Seeds Committee. Noting that Bollgard-III seeds are successfully used in Australia and Brazil, yielding significant benefits for farmers, Singh questioned, “Why must Indian farmers wait so long for these seeds?”
Singh emphasized the expertise of cotton growers in southwest Punjab, particularly in Kapurthala, where the crop is well-suited to local soil and climatic conditions. He warned that forcing farmers to switch to paddy due to pest-related losses exacerbates the region’s acute water scarcity. “Cotton farmers are hardworking and skilled. We must not push them toward water-intensive crops like paddy, which harms both the environment and the state’s prosperity,” he said.
watch…….ਆਪ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦਾ ਪਰਾਲੀ ਸਾੜਨ ਨੂੰ ਰੋਕਣ ਲਈ 500 ਕਰੋੜ ਦੀ ਵਿਸ਼ਾਲ ਯੋਜਨਾ ਦਾ ਐਲਾਨ
The timely release of Bollgard-III seeds, Singh argued, is critical to reversing crop losses and sustaining Punjab’s agricultural economy. “Every year of delay causes irreparable damage to the environment and the state’s finances,” he cautioned, urging swift action to empower farmers and protect Punjab’s cotton legacy.
