Chitral Times Report
ISLAMABAD: Technological modernization can increase cotton yield in the country. This was said by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Syed Fakhar Imam on Saturday while meeting A two-member delegation of Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA).They discussed the cotton production situation in Pakistan. Mr. Sohail Javed Chairman PCGA iterated that the declining cotton production is affecting ginning sector, the most. As seed cotton (the raw material) for ginning factories cannot be imported. They further added that cottonseed cake, a byproduct of cotton is used as livestock feed to enhance milk production, is subject to multiple taxes. They added that other issues like piled up tax refunds, slower buying of cotton by APTAM, and liquidity issues hampering the ginning sector adversely during the COVID 19 era. They urged that the Ministry of NFSR must act to resolve their issues and save this sector. Minister NFSR admires their concerns of lower cotton production and assured that the Ministry is working on Chines Seed Technology for yield-enhancing and securing funds to lower the cost of production to make cotton production a profitable business. Syed Fakhar Imam further added that Ministry would take up the Taxation issue with Finance Division and leave no stone unturned to get relief for the ginning sector. Mr. Imam asked Chairman Javed and Senior Vice Chairman Mr. Asim Shaikh of PCGA to send a set of proposals on how to modernized the ginning sector and upgrade technology to improve the quality of lint produced in Pakistan. Ginning is a process to separate the lint (Cotton) and seed (Benola) from the seed cotton or Phuti, it is the first process in cotton value chain. Pakistan has over 1300 ginning factories installed across the cotton belt. These ginning factories have ability to gin 14 million bales but due to short production for the few years, only 800 factories were in operation last year. It’s a seasonal business and that’s why most of the ginning factories also have oil extraction units to utilize the cottonseed and convert into oil and cottonseed cake. Oil goes to cooking oil industries or soap industry and cottonseed cake, which is rich in fibers, protein and oil, is used for animal feed.
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Meanwhile he said that outdated seed technology is the major reason for our low yield.This was said by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research at National Assembly on Saturday.He was of the point of view that there is no doubt that we are an agro based country but we have not focused on it as we should have.Roughly 24 M hectare area is under cultivation of our total agriculture land.We are 10-15 lakh ton lagging behind than our need of wheat. Resultantly wheat will be imported.Private sector will import wheat.After 9-10 years, our wheat price is less than international wheat prices.Punjab,Sindh & Balochistan have almost achieved the targets.On the other hand,Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could not meet the set target.Most of the time punjab provides wheat to KPK. Outdated seed technology is the major reason for our low yield.Our Seed Act & Plant Breeder Act have been constituted 2 to 3 years back and are still not being implemented properly.We are lagging behind in research than rest of the world which is a reason of our low output of cotton.Our universities, research department s should be groomed and advanced technology in agriculture should be promoted.Locust attack is quite big.FAO & DFID has provided us 20 micronsprayers which will be we very useful in tackling locust.Right now there is only one supplier of micronsprayers.The delay is due to on going COVID situation.Our ministry is constantly cordinating with NLCC, Pak Army and all other stakeholders.We are trying our best to combat locust in most effective way.China has provided us great assistance in tackling locust.5 helicopters of pak army are working all the time for spraying pesticides?Right now we have only 30 experts in DPP where our need is about 300 people.We have set 37% of our total budget for fertilizers.Syed Fakhar Imam added that he has recommended to make a portal for the farmers where they can be registered.Federal Minister said that we need to improve our universities and research depts at the earliest is we want to compete the world.We will upgrade our research depts and will monitor & evaluate them from best international research departments in agriculture.
