Rawalpindi-This month is very important regarding the management of cotton crop. Farmers should use standard pesticides with the advice of local agriculture department staff to control harmful insects. These views were expressed by Additional Secretary Agriculture (Task Force), Punjab Muhammad Shabir Ahmad Khan on Tuesday.
On this occasion, he said that the cotton crop is in a critical stage, so the agriculture extension staff should pay special heed towards its management. They should participate side by side to provide technical guidance to the farmers for pest scouting, surveillance and timely control of pest attack. According to the situation, he instructed to deliver timely advisory to the farmers’ doorsteps. He said that the increase in cotton production has a direct impact on the country’s economy. 
From the high production of cotton, foreign exchange can be earned up to 3 billion dollars, which will stabilize the country’s economy. He added that on the instructions of the Secretary of Agriculture, Punjab, all the agricultural staff have been participating alongside the farmers even during the holidays. The rehabilitation campaign is being carried out as a national responsibility for which all the stakeholders are working together.  During cotton picking, extension workers are guiding the farmers on matters related to clean picking. Additional Secretary Agriculture further said that the price of clean picked cotton fetches more in the world market while the price of cotton with impurities is less in the market. 
That is why, technical guidance is being given to the cotton farmers. He further said that all the directors have also been given instructions to compile records of arrival of cotton in the ginning factories so that accurate production data can be compiled and better strategies can be formulated for the next season.