The Ministry of Textile Industry had earmarked the land for 'cotton research and training institute' (CRTI) on the land of Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) Multan because the Punjab Government had flatly refused to provide land for CRTI in agricultural research farm.
This institute, according to PCGA Chairman Amanullah Qureshi, would be established with an estimated cost of Rs 30 million. It may be recalled that Punjab Government had announced, in 2009, to provide land for this institute free of cost. Later, differences developed between the federal and provincial governments, and Punjab government cancelled the proposed allotment of land. The PCGA chairman said that this institute would be constructed over an area of 4 acres, in two phases. In the first phase, civil work would be completed and in second phase modern ginning machinery would be imported.
Amanullah has demanded immediate release of funds to execute this project. The PCGA will declare figures of the new cotton arrivals of current fortnight on February 18. Briefing journalists, he said that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had given a representation to PCGA in the Board of Directors of Multan Electric Power company (Mepco) while it had already given representation in KESC and Hesco.
He said that 11.6 million cotton bales have so far been sold to the textile units. Exporters bought some 7,24,090 bales. Thus, overall 12.3 million bales have been traded till now, without TCP participating in the trading activity so far. He said that around 13.61 million cotton bales have been sourced to the country's ginners by February Ist, 2012 as revealed by the report, there has been a 22.61 percent increase in the quantum of cotton reaching the ginners by February 1, as compared to 11.1 million bales in the same period of last year.
Qureshi added that there are 12,81,659 bales, which still remain to be sold. He said that increase in cotton arrivals was 22.61 percent. He said total 1,36,15,327 bales of cotton were received during this season. It was 25,10,816 bales more than last year showing an increase of 22.61 percent in production in spite of unfair weather, flood, diseases and pest attacks in Sindh and monsoon rains in Punjab. He said that 7,85,708 bales were received during last fortnight, from January 16 to January 31,2012. He said that total 907 ginning factories are operational in Sindh and Punjab. Floods had badly hit the cotton crop in districts of Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Dadu, Mirpur Khas Sangarh and other areas of Sindh.
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