A parliamentary panel expressing serious concerns over reducing agricultural land under cotton cultivation has said that it is badly damaging national economy. Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research, which met here under the chairmanship of Senator Syed Muzafar Hussain Shah on Wednesday, showed grave concern over the gradual shrinking of land under cotton cultivation during the past few years.
The panel said the government should take immediate measures to save the country from such losses, highlighting the importance of specifying some zones for the cotton cultivation over which farming of no other crop was permissible.
Briefing the committee, Cotton Commissioner Dr Khalid Abdullah gave details of cotton production during different fiscal years, which, he said, had declined from 13.595 million bales in 2011-12 to 11.980 million bales in 2017-18.
Abdullah said scarcity of certified seed, decreased profitability and issues of plant population were the main reasons behind decrease in cotton production. He suggested that cotton production should also be increased in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to enhance its overall yield.
He said that priority to cotton districts by IRSA and reduction in electricity tariff for agriculture tube wells would also be helpful in promoting cotton production.
The committee directed the relevant officials to bring up modern seeds of various crops and reduce cost of growing of the crops to attract farmers to bring more land under cultivation. The government must provide subsidy to agriculture sector to increase cultivation and in this connection agriculture machinery, water supply, power supply, seed provision, connecting of the farms with agri markets play a critical role, the committee recommended.
The chairman of the committee also underlined the need for encouraging the production of long staple cotton crop, which was having considerable export value and could earn foreign exchange for the country. He asked the Ministry of National Food Security and other concerned officials to come up with a detailed plan in that connection by taking federation units on board on how to enhance crop cultivation in the country. The ministry was asked to have brainstorming session with the stakeholders and progressive farmers on how to enhance overall crop production and what steps should be taken to encourage cultivation of long staple cotton.
The chairman asked the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) to organise wheat seminars with proper management and invite 50 growers from each district to participate in the wheat seminar in their respective areas. The PARC was asked to brief the committee in the next meeting about the speakers who would deliver speeches in seminars and about the topics of their presentations.
Meanwhile, president of Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) informed the committee that it had disbursed loans of around Rs 3145.387 million since October 2018. He informed the committee that the bank has over 90 percent recovery rate on fresh loans. On the occasion, the chairman said the matter of increasing the paid capital of ZTBL would be taken with Finance Ministry.
The PARC informed the committee about appointments over 692 vacant posts in the council. The committee was informed that 98.3 percent of wheat sowing target has been achieved so far.
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