'Increase in cotton production important for all sectors of cotton value chain'

Speakers at a seminar here on Saturday agreed that increasing cotton production was very important for all sectors of the cotton value chain. The seminar was organised by the Pakistan Cotton Forum (PCF) at All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) Punjab office here on Saturday.
Secretary Agriculture Punjab, Dr Arif Nadeem and Agriculture Research and Advocacy Centre (ACAC) representative, Muhammad Ahsan Rana gave a detailed presentation and answered the queries of stakeholders from the textile industry, cotton farmers, ginners and cotton traders. Chairman Aptma Gohar Ejaz was also present.
The presentation was given in the backdrop of the Punjab government's negotiations with Monsanto, a global leader in biotechnology and cottonseeds for introduction of new technologies and improved seed in the province of Punjab. The seminar covered the areas including introduction of insect resistance and herbicide tolerance technologies, research collaboration between Monsanto and Pakistan Research Institutes, capacity building of local seed companies and technology fee payment by the Punjab government for any unauthorised spread off Monsanto's proprietary technologies.
Rana stressed the point that pests, diseases, water scarcity, inadequate seed provision system are although not unique to Pakistan but still no systematic efforts are made to avoid them in Pakistan cotton economy. Lack of professional seed industry is major factor behind this loss in the country. He said there is an urgent need to develop R&D and support development of a professional seed variety acquire latest technology for improved production to remove these constraints. Further, he said, developing strategic partnerships with the private sector and international institutes will overcome these constraints.
He said Monsanto is the company, which has practical solution to Pakistan problems in cotton economy. Pakistan would gain legal access to Monsanto technology through these negotiations. Monsanto partnership offers opportunity to get connected with technology pipeline, he added. According to him, transformation of the local seed industry is another area of benefit. He said it offers opportunity for research collaboration with Pakistani institutes for solutions to Pakistan-specific problems.
Currently, available technology products in the market include Monsanto's single-gene Bt, CEMB single-gene and double-gene Bt, Chinese fusion gene Bt and double-gene Bt, Monsanto's double-gene Bt (BG II), Roundup Ready and Roundup Ready (RR) Flex and BG II x BR Flex Stack.
Agriculture Secretary Punjab, Dr Arif Nadeem said the negotiations are also focusing on availability of drought resistance variety from Monsanto by 2018. Further, he said, the Punjab government was planning to bring more area under cultivation through technology advancement in cities like Hafizabad, Narowal and Sargodha.
"We are focusing on 6 to 8 million acre area growth, he said, adding, we expect a lot of benefits with technology advancement in cotton economy." He expressed the hope that textile industry, ginners, seed companies and the government would gain from Monsanto intervention to Pakistan cotton economy. However, the losers would be the breeders and seed companies not observing legal practices at present, he added.
The chairman Aptma stressed that the government should ensure a level playing field for all seed companies with modern technology across the globe. He said the Punjab government efforts should not be a company-specific and instead it should be open to everyone. PCF Chairman, Seth Muhammad Akber said that Punjab government efforts were in the right direction and expressed the hope that fruits of the process would come out by 2016. He also appreciated the Punjab government for taking all stakeholders into confidence while having negotiations with Monsanto.