October 16, 2003	Thursday	Sha'aban 19, 1424

SADIQABAD, Oct 15: Heavy losses were feared due to intensive pest attack on standing cotton crop throughout district Rahim Yar Khan, this was stated by Haji Muhammad Arshad, member, central cotton committee, eminent agriculture expert and Naib Nazim Tehsil council Khan Pur while talking to newsmen on Tuesday.

He attributed the losses to the crop to spurious pesticides and chemicals, inefficiency of agriculture experts posted by government and ignorance of the cultivators.

The martial worm had almost assumed shape of a small sized snake, which has made the cotton pickers mostly the ladies reluctant from going to the fields for picking. The worm bite caused serious allergy on the body.

He said that the Tehsil Khan Pur cotton sown areas were among the worst hit in the district, which followed Rahimyar Khan, Sadiqabad and Liaquatpur.

He demanded rescheduling loans give to growers to facilitate them for timely wheat sowing and the district be declared as calamity hit area.

Meanwhile, the phutti rate per 40 kg had spiralled to Rs1400 for the first time in southern Punjab areas including Rahimyar Khan district because of the pest attack.