An attack of whitefly has devastated the cotton crop in north India. Yields have fallen sharply, with allegedly spurious pesticides worsening the situation, even sparking farmer suicides.

Whitefly is a plant-sucking pest. It has damaged most of the cotton crop in Punjab and to a large extent in Haryana. The crop loss due to this is estimated at 40 to 50 per cent of the total.

Punjab and Haryana together produce 4 to 4.5 million bales a year. However, compared to a 800 kg hectare yield in Punjab during 2013-14, it fell to 528 kg last year. Similarly, the yield in Haryana fell from 761 kg a hectare to 665 kg a hectare.

Erratic weather played a crucial role in the growth of the whitefly. If the temperature had been lower in the winter, it would have kept the incidence down, as ground frost helps to break the whitefly’s life cycle. The situation has brought to light the need for an improved variety of genetically modified (Bt) cotton. Farmers have been advised to sow a combination of indigenous narma, hybrid and Bt cotton, as this can help curb the spread of pests.

Punjab has announced a relief package of Rs 600 crores for farmers affected but farmers say this would amount to about Rs 8,000 an acre, against their actual cost of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 an acre.