Despite the reduction in area under cotton in Bathinda and Mansa districts. This year the cotton farmers have a reason to smile as the price of their yield is about to touch Rs 6,000 per quintal. This year has seen a bumper crop following control of whitefly. Last year, the price of cotton yield went much below the MSP, following which, Diwali turned black for farmers.

In Mansa, farmers have got Rs 5,800 for a quintal of cotton yield while in Bathinda, the farmers have got about Rs 5,750 per quintal. Farmers in Mansa district have got the highest rate to date for their yield.

Till Wednesday, about 2,662 quintal of cotton arrived and was procured in Mansa while in Bathinda, 2,436 quintal of cotton produce was procured.

On Wednesday, 832 quintals of cotton yield in Mansa and 796 quintals in Bathinda was procured.

Bathinda DMO Kuldip Singh Brar said that the area under cotton reduced this year in Bathinda. They are expecting less than 3 lakh quintals of cotton to reach their grain markets while last year, they got about 4,72,410 quintals.

While, Mansa District Mandi Board officer Nachattar Singh said that last year, about 6 lakh quintals of cotton was procured while this year, they are expecting 6.5 lakh quintals despite the area under cotton reducing this year. The highest price today was Rs 5,750 per quintal and the lowest was Rs 4,590.

The Agriculture Department, adopting the traditional methods to contain whitefly and other pests this year, advised farmers to install sticky yellow traps’ in cotton crop and moong fields and spray neem water to contain whitefly. As lLast year, the whitefly damaged almost the entire crop in the cotton belt, including Bathinda, Mansa, Fazilka, Muktsar and other districts.