A whitefly pest attack has caused massive damage to cotton crop both in Punjab and Haryana with farmers fearing considerable loss in kharif crop. Both states have asked growers to take remedial steps to prevent damage. The whitefly infestation has come as a major blow to farmers at a time when they had already faced huge financial losses when their wheat crop got damaged due to inclement weather conditions early this year.

The whitefly attack has even assumed political overtones as the Opposition has sought a CBI probe into the purchase of spurious insecticides for cotton crop, leading to heavy losses to growers. About 20 to 25 per cent of the cotton crop in Punjab is under the grip of whitefly attack. Surveys have been launched to assess the damage to crop. The total area under cotton in Punjab is about 4.50 lakh hectares. In some areas, the attack of whitefly was so severe that farmers were forced to uproot their crop. The last time such an attack was seen in 1977. Haryana is facing a 25 per cent loss and 4.47 lakh hectares of cotton area have been affected.