The PM has been urged by PKI (Pakistan Kissan Ittehad) to take notice of delayed announcement of cotton crop support price and to make non-elected people accountable for chaos in the relevant sector.
Since the last two weeks cotton prices have been as low as 2500 per maund of Phutti in Sindh and in Punjab it is around 2800-3200 per maund. These prices are below the cost of cultivation. Resultantly, cotton growers are not making any money out of cotton production hence they withdrew their interest in pesticide application and fertilizer. Due to this cotton crop is being severely damaged by white fly, thrips and pink boll worm.
The Pakistan Kissan Ittehad is continuously demanding of the government to announce support price to save the cotton growers from losses and ultimately the industry.
The Parliament had passed a resolution to support price or intervention price and impose duty on import of raw cotton in May 2019.
Unfortunately, all recommendations of the highest forum and demands of the Pakistan Kissan Ittehad were declined.
Mr Khalid Khokhar, PKI President said that the cotton growers have a number of options to grow other crops in the next year and the government should take immediate notice of the situation.
