As many as 5 million new spindles are being added to the textile sector and the Ministry of Textile Industry has been working to increase cotton yield and the cultivated area to meet future needs of textile industry.
Minister for Textile Industry Chaudhry Mushtaq Ali Cheema said this here on Friday. He was addressing inaugural ceremony of an International Workshop on Cotton held at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) on Friday.
He said from 2005 onwards trade and tariff barriers, quality standards and cost of production would become the main factors for various commodities in the international markets.
He said a separate ministry for textile industry has been created to cope with the future challenges being faced by this vital segment of national economy.
He further said his ministry would provide a common platform to all stakeholders including growers, industry and exporters.
The Minister assured steps would be taken to lift cotton at fixed prices. "Government is fully aware of the problems being confronted by the growers," he said and added that Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) is being involved in this process to protect financial interests of growers.
However, he urged the growers to promote a culture of picking and storing only 'contamination-free' cotton.
He said future of Pakistani textile was very bright, he explained government had already withdrawn various subsidies and the growers were earning profit because of their economically viable crop.
On the other hand various countries like USA were giving subsidies to their growers, he observed. "from January 2005 onwards American cotton prices will shoot up with the withdrawal of subsidies; this will increase cotton price in New York cotton market and the prices of Pakistani crop will also increase substantially," he hoped.
The minister hoped in future Pakistan and India would also open their markets for ultimate economic benefit of their people.
Earlier, in his address he highlighted the geographic and historic importance of cotton for the subcontinent and said that cotton produced here was supplied to the textile industry in Britain. He said it was the period when Manchester earned international fame for its value addition.
"After the independence, country's domestic textile industry grew at a much faster pace and Faisalabad emerged as Manchester of Pakistan, "he said.
Appreciating the workshop initiative, he urged the scientists provide technical guidelines to his ministry to deal with the issues being confronted by the textile sector vis-à-vis the WTO.
Vice chancellor UAF professor Dr Bashir Ahmad, Professor Dr M S Tiwana Dean Faculty of Agriculture Punjab Agriculture University Ludhiana, Professor Dr Ashfaq Ahmad Rana Dean Agriculture UAF and Professor Dr Iftikhar Ahmad Khan Chairman Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics also addressed the workshop. Later, the minister inaugurated an agricultural exhibition and visited various stalls set up by various departments of the university.
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