PROJECT NAME

COTTON PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCEMENT THROUGH ECO-FRIENDLY PINK-BOLLWORM (PBW) MANAGEMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING IN PUNJAB UNDER PM EMERGENCY PROGRAM

PROJECT DIRECTOR NAME

Contact No:

Email:

LOCATION

Punjab

SPONSORING AGENCY

Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Government of Pakistan through its PSDP Program 2019-2021

EXECUTING AGENCY

Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC), Multan

ORIGINAL COST

Rs. 592.7298 Million

SCOPE

Main objective of the project is “Enhancement of cotton productivity through efficient and ecofriendly Management of Cotton Pink-bollworm (PBW)”.
Other objective include:

  1. Area wide surveys to monitor PBW population buildup in various cotton growing districts.
  2. To monitor the development of resistance in PBW through bioassay technique.
  3. Management of PBW through utilization of “Pink-bollworm Ropes (PBR) technology.
  4. To evaluate the performance of Leftover Boll Picking Machine developed by CCRI, Multan for the management of PBW.
  5. Capacity building of scientists and field staff of CCRI.
  6. Demonstration of P.B.Ropes and Mechanical boll picking machines for the awareness of extension workers, researchers, academia and farmers.
  7. To disseminate the messages/information through print and electronic media.

  1. Advertisements in local newspapers were floated for the announcement of subsidy of Rs.1000 per acre for the purchase of PB Ropes. A total of only about 900 farmers have been registered by the Agriculture Extension Department Punjab under this program by the end of December, 2020 while deadline for receipt of Minimum 3000 target applications was extended to January 30, 2021.
  2. Tenders were invited from manufacturer / suppliers for the manufacture and supply of 10 (twenty) Cotton Boll Picker Machines and other laboratory equipments (Spectro-photometer, QPCR, Centrifuge, Solar Panel). Tender evaluation committee formed and successful bidders have been ordered for supply of equipments.
  3. A national seminar on “Pink bollworm Management” was organized on 16.11.2020. Syed Fakhar Imam, Minister NFSR chaired. More than 250 stakeholders (farmers, researchers, seed/pesticide representatives, textile and ginning industry) attended the seminar.
  4. Multiple meetings were held with Secretary Agriculture South Punjab Secretariat on the management of Pink bollworm in the South Punjab.
  5. Survey conducted in whole of the cotton areas of Punjab to check the performance of cotton varieties and infestation of Pink bollworm.
  6. Artificial diet has been prepared. Rearing of Pink bollworm has successfully been completed on this artificial diet. Now 9th generation of the Pink bollworm is present in lab to make it susceptible generation. Efforts for the mass rearing are being made to conduct resistance studies.
  7. World Cotton Day was organized on October 7, 2020 to commemorate the importance of cotton crop. Around 500 participants throughout the country (stakeholders, NGOs and farmers) attended the program. Stalls of different companies also exhibited during the program. Cotton Walk was also organized.
  8. Training programs on “Pink bollworm Management” were organized for registered farmers of CABI on 12.10.2020, LokSangh (BCI) on 15.10.2020, FairTrade/SAS on 28.10.2020, Sangtani on 03.11.2020, RBDC/BCI on 13.11.2020.
  9. Report on “History and Current Status of Pink Bollworm Management through PB-Ropes and Sex Attractants in the World” have been prepared. Moreover, Compendium of research papers on Management of Pink bollworm and other publications and training manual are in progress.
  10. Advisory disseminated among farmers on fortnightly basis through Farmers Advisory Committee meetings.
  11. Printed material / leaflets published about management of Pink bollworm.
  12. Electronic, print and social media was aggressively involved for dissemination of cotton production technologies and Pink bollworm management.

  1. With PB Ropes it is expected that 5-10 monds yield will be increased to the farmers of 200,000 acres each year. This will translate to Rs. 4-8 billion increased return each year and aggregate to Rs. 5.5 to 10.6 billion.
  2. It is believed that use of cotton picking machine will recover 3-5 extra bolls from the left over sticks which with existing plant population reflects about 3.5-5.5 maunds of seed cotton equals to net benefit of Rs.14,000 to 22,000 per acre. Project aims to demonstrate over 70,000 acres with net financial benefit of Rs. 1500-1800 million to growers.
  3. The project activity will generate about 30 direct job opportunity and number of indirect job opportunities in sectors like installation of PB Ropes, Machine Operators, repair and maintenance, service provider, traders and dealers etc.
  4. The project is to support environment friendly means of control PBW will eliminate synthetic insecticides used for the management of PBW on cotton. The pheromone based male disruption technique releases fraction of volatile chemicals into the environment.
  5. Capacity building of researchers, extension agents and farmers in PBW and cotton crop management

PROJECT DETAILS

Date of approval with Forum
Original date Revised Date, if any All subsequent Revisions if any
13.03.2020
(DDWP, MNFS&R)		 N/A N/A
Financial Arrangement Federal
Donor (if any)along with a share of foreign aid in the cost N/A
Actual Date of Commencement July, 2020
Completion Date (as per PC-I) June, 2023
Likely Completion Date June, 2023
Reason of Time and Cost Overrun Time over-run (+2022-23) due to late start of the project and late nomination of Project Manager. Cost will be the same.
Specific decision/ recommendation made during previous quarterly reviews of PSDP 2019-20 NIL
PMES system updated on (please specify date) NA
Financial progress
a) Expenditure up to June 2020 Nill
b) %age Financial progress to-Date Rs. 5.775 Million (about 5% of the release = 125 million)
Physical completion (in %age terms) About 50% of 2020 targets completed and actions for 2020-21 in progress for the forthcoming season.
Allocation 2020-21 Rupee Foreign loan(if any)
250.00 million Nil
Releases 2020-21 Rupee Foreign Loan(if any)
125.00 million Nil
Expenditure/Utilization 2020-21 (July-Sept 2020) Rupee Foreign loan(if any)
5.775 million Nil
Bottlenecks/Issues impeding progress on the project (if any)
  • Late notification of the Project Manager (30-11-2020) slowed down pace of the project. Late release of funds during 2020 after the main crop-season was over.
  • The pace for releases of funds remained slow which hampered the activities regarding provision of PB Ropes on subsidize rate to the farmers, fabrication of Mechanical Boll Picker for Pink bollworm control and other field and laboratory activities during the 2019-20 period.
  • Response of farmers in reply to the call for application for provision of PB Ropes on subsidized rates was not satisfactory this year as reported by Govt of Punjab.
  • It was perhaps due to poor action of the P.B.ropes in managing PBW during last year.
Latest implementation status of the decision/recommendation NIL