Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) registered record decline in cotton production in Multan among 11 districts of Punjab. Other districts include: Lodhran, Muzaffargarh, Pakpattan, Okara, Toba Tek Singh, Mianwali, Jhang, Rahimyar Khan, Bahawalnagar, Sargodha and two districts of Sindh namely Mirpur Khas and Badin in the year 2016-17. According to the PCGA data available with APP, the production target from district Kasur is yet to be received.
The data was collected with joint cooperation of PCGA, APTMA and KCA.
The agriculture department advised farmers to ensure neat and clean picking of cotton to get handsome return of their produce.
In a press statement issued here on Saturday, Assistant Director Agriculture Information, Naveed Asmat Kohlun said that cotton was the important crop of the country and a major source of earning foreign exchange.
He suggested farmers to manage cotton picking from 10 am to 4 pm Similarly, there should be 15 to 20 days duration between two consecutive cotton pickings.
He said that Punjab government provided special training to cotton pickers so that the farmers could avail maximum benefits. The farmers should start picking when 50 per cent of cotton flowers should be open and mature, he added.
Similarly, affected cotton must be kept away from clean. He urged upon farmers to offer reasonable wages to cotton pickers women so that they should maintain standards.