Member of Parliament, Jamshed Khan Dasti expressed his concern over the use of spurious cottonseed, fertiliser and unavailability of cotton production data. He also asked the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MINFA) to constitute a joint research and investigation team of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee and other organisations of four provinces in order to submit a work plan within one month to run the cotton programmes in the country.
Dasti advised MINFA and the Ministry of Finance to release funds regarding research and design and other projects forthwith. The NA body showed its concern on sowing uncertified BT cotton in 80 percent area of Sindh and 60 percent area of Punjab, which caused virus in cotton growing areas.
He was of the opinion that the target of cotton production for 2011-12 crop season has not been satisfactory and there were different reasons for crop failure. The supply of spurious cottonseed besides uncertified cottonseed remained the permanent causes of crop failure and the seed sector was still neglected.
He expressed dissatisfaction that there was a big gap in application of equipment of pesticides and there was difference in target and achievement made in case of cotton production. Dasti said the data was not authenticated and cotton yield in Sindh has been doubled. In case of organic cotton the area of Balochistan and other areas are suitable and MINFA should explore research and design work without allowing pesticide companies in these areas, he added.
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