July 28, 2008	Monday	Rajab 24, 1429

MUZAFFARGARH, July 27: Mealybug has attacked the cotton crop and agriculture officials have failed to control the situation, Dawn has learnt.

The disease has attacked the crop in Mahmoodkot, Budh, Kot Addu, Khangarh and Alipur.

Last year, mealybug attacked the crop late in August. When the agriculture department did not come to farmers’ help, the farmers experimented on their own to control the disease. They used washing powder as a deterrent and partially controlled the disease.

This time farmers have not contacted agriculture officials. They say they have prepared a mixture of bitter tree extracts and washing powder to check the mealy bug attack on the cotton crop.

Abul Sattar of Pathan village of Kot Addu tehsil says he has tried this mixture on his cotton crop and gotten the result.

Executive District Officer for Agriculture Chaudhry Shehzad says he has recommended pesticides like Ameda, Chlopard, Supracide and Perfenephas to farmers to check the mealy bug attack on their crops. He said his team was working on a plan to educate farmers about the disease and its control.