Pink Bollworm

Pink bollworm can inflict locule damage to the extent of 55% and can reduces seed cotton yield by up to 90%. It impacts the lint quality primarily

Last year's damage to the crop due to pink bollworm attack is yet to be considered legitimate by the Centre for paying damages to the farmers

According to state government sources in Gujarat, cotton sowing was only 9,339 hectares or 0.37% of the normal three-year average sowing in the first week of this month

Cotton farmers have voiced their concern over crop losses

Oppn has been demanding immediate relief to farmers saying that Bt cotton seed "BG II" has failed to protect cotton from pink bollworm attack

If the recent torrential rains and floods were not enough to impact 30 per cent loss in sowing of cotton and groundnut, Gujarat, along with states like Rajasthan and Punjab is witnessing an onslaught of the pink bollworm. Farmers and traders fear an additional loss in cotton and production by 20 per cent from the pink bollworm infestation in the fields, thereby restricting arrivals and pushing up prices ahead of the new crop year which begins in late September. The pink bollworm infestation coupled with recent floods could lead to an overall fall in production of at least 30-40 per cent, though resowing of cotton and groundnut have begun in several parts. Cotton and groundnut have so far seen sowing in an area of 2.4 million hectares and 1.4 million hectares, respectively, of which 25-30 per cent area have seen complete loss due to floods, even as state government's assessment is underway.According to farmers, the pink bollworm infestation has caught on to entire fields of cotton and .