Cotton production targets: Council of cotton stakeholders formed to finalise joint strategy

The stakeholders of cotton supply chain on Monday constituted a Council of Cotton Stakeholders to finalize a joint strategy on achieving cotton production targets set under the Cotton Mission 2025 by the government of Punjab.
The consensus was developed among the stakeholders during the consultation that a level-playing field should be provided to entire value chain in Punjab by bringing down cost of inputs, improvement in productivity/yields through introduction of better cotton seed technology, upgrading harvest technology, improved extension services to provide timely information to farmers and reclaiming area encroached by sugar cultivation.
A joint session of cotton value chain stakeholders held at the APTMA Punjab office which was attended by Central Chairman APTMA Aamir Fayyaz, Chairman APTMA Punjab Ali Pervaiz Malik, Senior Vice Chairman APTMA Punjab Adil Bahsir, and progressive farmers including Syed Fakhar Imam, Nawab Farhatullah Khan, Khalid Khokhar, Bilal Israel, Farooq Bajwa, Mukhtar Baloch and Mian Mahmood Ahmed from Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association, a representative of Karachi Cotton Association Sohail Naseem, Amir Mahmood from Monsanto, Muazzam Ali from SNIFA and Dr Muhammad Ghazanfar, Additional Secretary Planning, Department of Agriculture Punjab.
All the participants agreed over the crisis like situation in the field of cotton production, which is registering a declining trend of 30 percent area and 38 percent in production in Punjab since 2011. There was a general consensus that steps should be taken to enhance the cotton productivity, make available a level-playing to all stakeholders against the regional competitors and the input costs of cotton farmers should be made compatible in the region. The Council will immediately plan the way forward to match the Cotton Mission 2025 of Punjab government for increasing/doubling the cotton production.
The participants also agreed on the point that new varieties of cotton seed should be introduced under the Public-Private Partnership while involving the private sector seed development companies. The objective of this exercise is to ensure the availability of appropriate and suitable technology for seed development in the country.
They also agreed to address the quality issues in line with the predetermined parameters set in the Cotton Standardization Act for labeling, classification and standardization of cotton bales etc.
There was unanimity of understanding among the participants to encourage indigenous production of oil and blending it with the imported palm oil. The participants also resolved to secure appropriate price of cotton seed (banola), a byproduct of cotton for this purpose to improve profitability of cotton farmers. The Council will organise a joint seminar before the start of cotton sowing season ahead.