It is interesting to note that due to technological advancement, there is an increase per acre cotton yield in the country, Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam stated.
While talking to a delegation of Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA), Imam said that his ministry was working on transfer of Chinese seed technology for enhancing crop yield, besides securing funds to reduce cost to make cotton production a profitable business.
The PCGA delegation, led by Sohail Javed, Chairman apprised the minister about issues and challenges faced by the local cotton sector and said the declining production was affecting ginning the most. They added that other issues like piled-up tax refunds, slower buying of cotton by All Pakistan Textile Manufacturers Association, and liquidity crisis hampering the ginning sector adversely during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Last week there was a significant increase of Rs 600 per maund in the price of cotton. There is a gap between the demand and supply of Phutti. It is expected that 5 percent sales tax imposed on Khal will be abolished. It is hinted that textile sector will be functional soon. The threat of Locust attack is increasing.
About the drawbacks in tackling the desert locust crisis, he explained that pace of the operation was slow due to non-availability of micron sprayers. Meanwhile, speaking during the National Assembly session, the minister said the Seed Act and Plant Breeders Act have become laws a couple of years ago but were still not being implemented properly. Pakistan is lagging behind in research which is also resulting in low cotton output, he regretted.
