Country to produce 12.598m cotton bales: CCAC

ISLAMABAD: The Cotton Crop Assessment Committee (CCAC) in its second meeting has estimated that a total of 12.598 million bales would be produced in the country.

The meeting was held here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Minister for Textile Industry.

The meeting was informed that out of total production Punjab would produce 10.1 million bales, Sindh 2.4 million bales, Blochistan 0.092 million bales and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would produce 0.006 million bales.

Representatives of the Provincial Government explained the methodology for crop assessment and informed the house about the second estimates.

Members representing All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) and Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) were of the opinion that crop volume will remain equivalent to the first estimate of 12.22 million bales.

This was not accepted by the majority of the members who were of the view that the estimates provided by the Provincial Agriculture Departments should be relied upon as these were based on a recognized methodology. It was informed that 11.03 million bales have already arrived so far at ginneries.

The Minister expressed his concern over the use of high risk pesticides and emphasized ensuring appropriate quality and safety in pest management in cotton.

The Minister also asked cotton growers to put all their efforts to enhance yield per acre as it is still very low than that of leading cotton producing countries of the world.

He also added that current low prices could only compensate those farmers who get higher yield and make their cotton cultivation more economically feasible.

It was informed in the meeting that United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a widely recognized agency in world crop estimates, assessed Pakistan cotton crop volume as 12.80 million bales.

The Cotton Crop Assessment Committee will review the estimates in its next meeting to be convened during the last week of January 2012.

Shahid Rashid, Secretary, Ministry of Textile Industry, representatives of Provincial Governments, Plant Protection Department, Trading Cooperation of Pakistan (TCP), Cotton Growers,Chairman Karachi Cotton Association (KCA), Vice Chairman All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), Vice President Pakistan Central Cotton Committee attended the meeting.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011