TAHIR AMIN

ISLAMABAD: The government has revised downward the cotton production target and set it at 14.04 million bales for 2017-18, after missing the production target of 14.1 million bales for 2016-17 by around 25 per cent.

Pakistan has missed the cotton production target by around 25 per cent as the production has been recorded at 10.6 million bales against the set target of 14.1 million bales for 2016-17; however, the number surpassed the cotton production of 9.7 million bales recorded during the same period of the last fiscal year (2015-16).

The sixth meeting of the Federal Committee on Cotton (FCC) was held under the chairmanship of Cotton Commissioner Ministry of Textile Industry Dr Khalid Abdullah where the committee unanimously agreed to fix the cotton area and production target for the year 2017 as Punjab will have to cover 2.429 million hectares to produce 10 million cotton bales, Sindh will have to cover 0.650 million hectares to produce 4 million cotton bales, Balochistan will have to cover 0.038 million hectares and produce 0.038 million bales and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will have to sow cotton on 0.001 million hectares to produce 0.002 million bales of cotton.

Talking to Business Recorder, Abdullah said that the target of 14.1 million bales was set for year 2016-17. However, cotton sowing fell short by 20.82 per cent in Punjab province, leading to overall 15.78 per cent less sowing at national level. The reasons for less cotton sowing were mainly attributed to low cotton prices during 2015-16.

He further said that the meeting was attended by representatives from Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC), Pakistan Metrological Department, Federal Plant Protection Department, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department (FSCR&D), Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP), agriculture departments from Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and progressive cotton farmers.

The representative from Meteorological Department informed the participants that below normal rainfall are anticipated in the cotton belt during March to May 2017.

The representative from State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) stated that an amount of Rs700 billion has been allocated for agricultural loans to be disbursed by commercial banks and microfinance institutions. Out of this target, Rs10 billion have so far been disbursed to 35,000 cotton farmers of Punjab and Sindh provinces from July to December 2016.

The SBP has also launched a Mandatory Crop Insurance Policy for five major crops including wheat, rice, sugarcane, cotton and maize.

The representative from ZTBL stated that financing for cotton crop-specific loans have been targeted at 60 per cent of the total loan disbursement by the bank. The representative of FSCRD stated that 38,000 metric tons seed of cotton (certified and approved) will be available against the requirement of 40,000 metric tons during the season 2017-18. Hence, there will be no shortage of quality seed.

The cotton commissioner urged the representative to direct all seed dealers to market cotton seed as per standard germination of 75 per cent and there should be no comprise on standard. He further stated that since there is almost 100 per cent availability of certified seeds, therefore, a campaign should be launched for sowing of only certified seeds.

The representative from the Federal Plant Protection Department stated that sufficient quantity of pesticides and weedicides is in the import process.

The farmers’ members stressed upon the availability of irrigation water and stated that since the Punjab government has banned cotton sowing before April 15, therefore, the farmers would have only 30 days period (April 15 to May 15) left for sowing cotton crop. Therefore, during this period, the government should ensure supply of irrigation water to the farmers so that the cotton is sown as planned. The farmers’ members also urged the government to announce the support price for cotton crop to encourage the farmers for enhancing cotton acreage.