The Cotton Crop Assessment Committee (CCAC) on Monday revised cotton production estimates downward for the third time in the current season to 10.54 million bales against the initial estimates of 14.1 million bales ie by over 25 percent for the current season (2016-17). The country had missed the crop production target by around 30 percent in 2015-16 and it remained around 10 million bales which, according to the finance minister, caused 0.5 percent to the GDP growth.
The officials said that the crop prospects are not very good in the current season and may result in negative, affecting growth rate again. The third meeting of CCAC for the season 2016-17 was held to asses the volume of current cotton crop in the country, under the chairmanship of Federal Secretary Ministry of Textile Industry Hassan Iqbal. Officials' sources revealed that the estimates are based on the second estimate of the provincial governments which are being finalised by November 15 and are being considered as most realistic.
Representatives of the provincial governments of Sindh and Punjab, cotton growers, Trading Corporation of Pakistan, Karachi Cotton Association and Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) attended the meeting. Cotton Commissioner Dr Khalid Abdullah presented the overview of cotton crop production, insect pests and disease situation, market pattern and other factors (high temperature, lead reddening/burning issues, etc) influencing the overall cotton production in the country.
He stated that the cotton was sown 20% less in the Punjab province due to lower prices of the produce last year, less return from competing crops, anticipated more rains which led to reduction in overall cotton production. Representatives of the provincial government explained the methodology for crop assessment and informed the meeting about the crop estimates which are reproduced as follow: Punjab was expected to produce 9.5 million cotton bales from 5.9 million acres of land; Sindh had to cover 1.6 million acres of land and was estimated to produce 4.5 million cotton bales; Balochistan had to grow cotton on 0.12 million acres of land and was targeted to produce 0.04 million cotton bales; and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was targeted to cover about 74,000 acres of land and produce 0.0015 million cotton bales.
The CCAC revised downward cotton production estimates for the third time and Punjab is estimated to produce 6.903 million bales against the initial estimates of 9.5 million, Sindh 3.6 million bales against 4.5 million, Balochistan 0.038 million bales against initial estimate of 0.098 million bales and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is estimated to produce 0.001 million bales against 0.0015 million bales.
The member representing KCA was of the opinion that the assessment is very realistic and the ground realities are very close to this forecast. Cotton growers emphasised the need for provision of quality cotton seed, affordable prices of inputs and price intervention by the government in such a way that benefit should go directly to growers. Secretary MinTex stressed for developing scientific-based cotton estimation and forecasting model so that accurate, reliable and more authentic crop size may be assessed. He further directed to publicise standard bale size and its proper packing in electronic and print media for its strict compliance. He asked for developing effective cotton production plan determining measures for enhancing cotton area and yield in the country.
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