In order to avoid shortage of pesticides for the 2008-09 cotton crops, the Government is trying to make sure its availability in sufficient quantity at the time of sowing.

According to sources, a Committee has been set up to prepare a report, after properly ascertaining the amount of pesticides required for the crop, and to take essential measures to ensure its availability at the time of sowing next year.

In the current fiscal year, the growers had to face the furious attacks of mealy bug and CLCV and there was shortage of pesticides at the time of attacks. After import of pesticides by the private sector, the growers had to pay much more than ever before.

The pesticides were being sold at Rs 450-500 per bag instead of Rs 200-Rs250, showing an increase of almost 50%. In 2007-08, mealy bug destroyed an estimated 0.2 million bales on 0.15 million acres cotton areas. It is estimated that the Government had failed to achieve the cotton production target of 12.8 million bales and production was just 11.6 million bales.