Tuticorin district of TN set to increase cotton production and productivity

Cotton production in the district of Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu is set to scale new heights at a time when the demand of raw cotton is on a rise...

The Department of Agriculture is planning to implement Intensive Cotton Development Scheme under Mini Mission II of Technology Mission on Cotton in the district on an outlay of Rs. 17.05 lakh to increase production and productivity of quality cotton.

Under the Intensive Cotton Development Scheme, it aims to increase the area under cotton cultivation from 8,000 hectares in the last financial year to 11,250 ha before the end of the current fiscal. Also productivity will be increased from 117 kg of lint a hectare achieved in the last fiscal to 355 kg.

Financial assistance to the tune of Rs. 1.9 lakh will be extended to select farmers for production of certified seeds from the breeder seeds. The department will be distributing 10 kg of breeder seeds to the farmers for the production of foundation seeds at the farmers' holdings itself.

The seeds thus multiplied will be procured by the department and once again multiplied into certified seeds at different farms. A total of 7, 000 kg of certified seeds are expected to be produced and later distributed to farmers at a rate of Rs. 20 a kg to ensure higher yield.

Under this scheme, farmers will be distributed seed treatment chemicals worth Rs. 4,200 to kill pathogens, if any, in the seeds, prior to sowing. Application of chemicals would avoid seed-borne diseases in the plant.

Besides, 12 pheromone traps, costing Rs. 63,000, to control the field pests, and bio-control agents worth Rs. 2.02 lakh will also be distributed to the farmers. Bio-control agents such as Basillus thuringiensis and Azadirectin will help combat bollworms.

The rest of the fund will be used to distribute hand and power sprayers (Rs. 4.56 lakh), 22,900 packets of bio-fertilizers (Rs. 34,400), four tons of micro nutrient mixture and miscellaneous expenses.

Source: Yarns and Fibers