A survey conducted by agriculture departments all over the province has found insects in the waste of some ginning factories.
According to an agriculture department’s spokesperson here on Monday, factory owners had been informed to dispose of ginning waste according to prescribed standards and warned of legal repercussions if they failed to comply.
“Agriculture officers have contacted factory owners and advised them to rectify the situation”, he said. “These efforts are part of the agriculture department’s objective of protecting the next cotton crop from the harmful insects and germs.”
He said ginning and cotton waste should be destroyed far away from cotton producing areas to minimise chances of the insects’ survival and their ability to reach the cotton fields again.
The agriculture department had banned the cultivation of cotton before April 15 as a precaution against the growth of the harmful insect population. The department had also advised farmers to plough the land deep till January 15 to destroy the remains of the cotton crop, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson expressed confidence that these measures would produce desired results and that the next cotton crop would be a record yield for the country.
