ISLAMABAD, Aug 9 (APP): Cotton growers have urged the
government for providing level playing field to local farmers in
order to reduce the import of cotton into the country, which was
discouraging the cotton farmers across the country.
They said that billion of dollars were being spent annually on
the import of the cotton to fulfill the domestic requirements of
local industry.
They said that cotton import into the country grew by 46
percent, where as exports reduced by 49 percent during the last
fiscal year ended on June 30, 2017.
They stressed the need for taking necessary measures to check
the import of cotton into the country to stabilize prices of the
commodity in the local market to benefit the lint farmers
particularly small farmers.
They said that cotton imports into the country grew by 10
percent during last financial year ended on June 30, 2016 as compared to
the corresponding period of last year.
Talking to APP here, President Kissan Ithad Khalid Khokhar
urged the government to take appropriate measures to safeguard the interest
of local cotton growers.
He asked for reducing the cost of production to compete with
the international markets and encouraging the farmers to grow more
crop and enhance production.
He said that per 40 kg cost of production of local cotton was
recorded at Rs 2,533 as compared with the prices of the commodity
in the neighboring country where it was recorded at Rs 1,076 per 40
kg.
He urged the need for enhancing research expenditures,
improved seed varieties and encouraging the local farmers by
providing them special incentives to enhance cotton producing to its
true potential of 20 million bales.
Meanwhile, commenting on the situation, Cotton Commissioner Dr
Khalid Abdulah said that about 2.7 million cotton bales were
imported during last year to fulfill the domestic requirements.
He said that exports of raw cotton from the country reduced by
49 percent during the period under review as about 146,000 cotton
bales were exported during previous year.
He said that government was taking measure to reduce the
imports of cotton and encourage the local farmers by stabilizing the
prices in the local markets.
The Ministry of Textile Industry would device a comprehensive
plan by taking all stakeholdrs including farmers, ginners and
textile industry to reduce the imports of the cotton.
