Page 16 - April-May-2020

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Facilitating Pakistani

cotton production

and exports

Detrimental to local cotton growers and against the been easy due to imposition of both tariff and
law, PCGA has opposed the import of raw cotton non-tariff barriers. An example case are the stuck
through Torkham and Wagah borders. With the imported cotton shipments at the port which
foreign reserves rapidly shrinking, ginners are haven’t been cleared since months because of lack
unable to pay foreign loans. They suggested the of methyl bromide availability, resulting in
government to impose regulatory duty and sales demurrages. APTMA said that methyl bromide is
tax on the imported cotton to save the local market. unavailable due to non-issuance of NOC by MCC
They said that 19, 47,544 bales were lying unsold in and MNFS. As the volume of imported cotton rises
ginneries and another two million bales would be due to more consumption and less local production,
received from the field in near future. In the the import of methyl bromide will also naturally rise.
presence of four million bales in the country, it is an The concerned ministries should be more facilitative
unwise decision to allow the import of cotton from especially in the case where the ultimate impact is to
neighboring countries. be borne by the textile industry.

A two-day Sino-Pak international conference on The International Cotton Advisory Committee
“Innovation in Cotton Breeding and Biotechnology” (ICAC) has estimated that world cotton production
commenced at the Muhammad Nawaz Sharif would be short by up to 3 per cent. This is being
University of Agriculture (MNSUA). Delegates from reckoned as a major driving force behind brisk
China, Malaysia, Turkey and Iran along with national buying from spinners. The ICAC has also estimated
agri-scientists attended the Innovation in Cotton that cotton consumption this year would be up by
Breeding and Biotechnology Conference. Mr 3pc. The ICAC further said that carryover world
Hussain Jahania Gardezi said that cotton was the cotton stocks are short by around one million bales.
future of the country’s economy. The minister
informed regretfully that last year the country only Meanwhile, the attendance at 77th Plenary Meeting
produced 10 million bales. Pakistan is lagging ICAC far exceeded expectations. The World Café is
behind in cotton production because technology designed to give attendees a voice by breaking the
and breeding system of the crop has changed in audience into groups of 8 to 12 people per table
the world. Continuous changes in technology globally and encouraging them to debate and find
cannot be avoided. We could improve our exports if consensus on challenging topics. Attendees
we go for value addition of cotton. Also, highlighting discussed several questions related to organic
objective of the conference he hoped that the cotton, such as policies that can be enacted to
experience of international delegates would be helpful
in improving the cotton scenario of the country. support the sector, as well as what steps could be
taken to make improvements at the farm level and
Due to Pakistan’s dismal cotton producing throughout the value chain. At the end, one
performance, reliance on imported cotton has representative from each group delivered some of
increased. However, even imported cotton has not the highlights from their table’s discussions.

April/May 2020