LAHORE, Jan 25: The Punjab government on Sunday claimed to have produced seven million bales by Jan 15 and hoped to get another 400,000 during the rest of the season.

According to departmental estimates, "based on figures provided by the ginners association," the rest of the country has also produced 1.8 million bales, taking the total production so far to 8.8 million bales.

The Punjab government claimed that around 200,000 bales are used in quilts and pillows in the province. Thus Punjab's total production would be around 7.6 million bales against the target of 8million. Thus the pest attack has "cost the province around 400,000 bales."

A department representative agreed that crop size has not risen despite 14 per cent increase in the acreage as compared to last year. But, he claimed success in non-core areas - Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Sahiwal and Pakpattan - where the provincial government had taken initiative to revive cotton as a major crop. In these areas, cotton production grew by 32 per cent - from 600,000 bales to 743, 000 bales - whereas the acreage grew by 58 per cent.

"This (non-core area) is a three-year project. The first year has proved to be an encouraging success." From the next season, he said, two more districts would be part of the project.

Under the initiative, the department has been training farmers in seed treatment, pest survey, optimum and timely use of fertilizer and introducing bed and furrow technology. Field assessment staff has been provided with motorcycle facility and demonstration plants have been developed in every area. All these efforts have been 'fruitful'.