BAHAWALPUR: There can be a 25 per cent fall of per acre cotton production due to excessive rains that hit the region this monsoon.

Agriculture Deputy Director Muhammad Shafique said that the rains damaged the standing cotton crop in many areas.

He said though the field staff of the department remained active during the rainy season to guide the farmers to drain rainwater from the cotton fields, most of them failed to do so. This caused a partial loss to the cotton crop, mainly affecting the fruiting.

According to him, the per acre yield may be less than 20 maund, which is 20 per cent less than the previous year. In Bahawalpur district, cotton was cultivated on 569,000 acres and now picking is ongoing.

MoU: The police and the administration of a private college group have signed a memorandum of understanding to grant fee concession to the children of the police department in school and college education.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2022