Chandigarh: In a major push to revive cotton cultivation, the Punjab government has announced a 33% subsidy on seeds for farmers growing desi and Bt cotton.<\/p>\n
The scheme, launched by the Agriculture Department, aims to encourage farmers to return to cotton farming, once known as Punjab\u2019s \u201cwhite gold.\u201d Farmers can apply online through the government portal from April 20 to May 31, with the benefit limited to a maximum of five acres. The subsidy will be available only on seed varieties approved by Punjab Agricultural University.<\/p>\n
Cotton acreage in Punjab has seen a sharp decline over the decades\u2014from over 7 lakh hectares in the 1980s to just around 1 lakh hectares in 2024. Key reasons include pink bollworm attacks, market prices falling below MSP, and adverse weather conditions.<\/p>\n
However, government efforts led to a slight recovery in 2025, with acreage rising to 1.19 lakh hectares. The state has now set a target of 1.26 lakh hectares for the current year.<\/p>\n
During a recent inter-state advisory forum, PAU Vice-Chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal emphasised timely availability of quality seeds and subsidies on Bt cotton to boost cultivation. He also stressed the importance of proper irrigation and balanced fertiliser use for better yields.<\/p>\n
Despite the initiative, farmers remain cautious. Bathinda-based farmer Sharanjit Singh highlighted recurring pest attacks, including whitefly and pink bollworm, saying repeated spraying still does not guarantee yield.<\/p>\n
Agriculture Director Gurjeet Singh Brar said the shift towards paddy cultivation, due to assured irrigation and fewer pest risks compared to cotton, has been a major factor behind the decline in cotton farming in the state.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chandigarh: In a major push to revive cotton cultivation, the Punjab government has announced a 33% subsidy on seeds for farmers growing desi and Bt cotton. The scheme, launched by the Agriculture Department, aims to encourage farmers to return to cotton farming, once known as Punjab\u2019s \u201cwhite gold.\u201d Farmers can apply online through the government […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":63504,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,21,20],"tags":[14319,14318],"class_list":["post-63502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest","category-political-news","category-punjab","tag-on-cotton-seeds-to-revive-white-gold-farming","tag-punjab-announces-33-subsidy"],"yoast_head":"\n