Three major trade bodies Indian Cotton Association Limited (ICAL), Northern India Textiles Mills Association (NITMA), and Mumbai-based Indian Society for Cotton Improvement (ISCI have decided to jointly organize a seminar 'Awareness of whitefly and best practices for growing cotton' at Abohar on March 21.

The seminar to be held to discussion and find way to avoid a repeat of the last year's pest attack on cotton crop in Punjab and Haryana. Cotton was sown over 4.5 lakh hectares in Punjab last year and two-third of it was damaged due to pest attack.

Farmers of cotton-growing areas of three states will attend the event. Cotton growers from Sirsa and Fatehabad districts of Haryana, Sri Ganganagar and Hanumangarh in Rajasthan, and Bathinda, Mansa and Fazilka of Punjab have also been invited to take part in the seminar.

Experts and top agriculture scientists, including ISCI president C D Mayee, NAFED chairman Ashok Thakur, Punjab Agricultural University vice-chancellor B S Dhillon, Punjab agriculture director Gurdial Singh and progressive farmer Ajayvir Jakhar, would tell farmers about the techniques to grow cotton without troubles.

Farmers will be told about how to overcome pest attack, if it happens, and get more yield per acre at the seminar.

ICAL president Mahesh Sharda said that severe pest attack on the crop in the previous season had badly shaken the cotton growers, and it affected the economy of Punjab and Haryana. Efforts are being made to make them aware about best practices to grow cotton and maximize their returns.