Cotton crop 2020-21: PKI terms rejection of intervention price as 'victory of mafia'

Pakistan Kissam Ittehad (PKI) has termed the rejection of intervention price for cotton crop 2020-21 as victory of the mafia, which has representation in the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet.

"It is a black day for the growers in general and the cotton growers in particular as in the battle of industry and agriculture once again industry has defeated agriculture with full force," said Khalid Khokhar, PKI President.

On May 7, 2020, ECC rejected a proposal of Ministry of National Food Security and Research in which intervention price of seed cotton (Phutti was proposed at Rs 4,224/40kg.

"In the battle with the textile industry, growers who want fair price of their produce, have lost the battle against the strong lobby that has taken over the forum and got a decision in their favor," Khokhar added.

He was of the view that industry, every year pays far less price for cotton amounting to Rs 34.63 billion to the cotton growers in the name of "free market economy" which in reality is a monopoly.

The grower has been demanding their right to a fair price of their produce for long but every time the strong lobby prevails. This year with Syed Fakhar Imam in the chair as Minister for NFS&R was requested by farmers' bodies to announce the support price well in advance so that decision on cotton sowing could be taken appropriately.

The cotton area is declining by 20 percent Punjab since 2010 whereas the area under maize and sugarcane has been increased by 66 percent and 37 percent respectively.

He said water as a limiting factor for Pakistan had to be utilised wisely and high delta crops like rice, maize, and sugarcane must be replaced by low water requiring crops like cotton, oilseed, and pulses, Pakistan is spending billions of dollars on import of these commodities.

Syed Fakhar Imam, a cotton grower himself, with extensive consultation, placed a proposal to ECC on May 6, 2020 which was rejected with an overwhelming majority with the excuse that cotton production is a provincial subject after 18th amendment, and the government is already trying to get rid of wheat support price and sugar indicative price.

"The decision shows a bleak future for cotton in Pakistan with industry having a strong lobby with the decision-makers who do not want to see cotton and agriculture prosper in Pakistan," he continued.

The world has learned lessons during the current Covid-19 outbreak and realised that everything comes after food security and agriculture, unfortunately, Pakistanis have not learned the lesson or are intentionally ignoring it.

Khalid Khokhar argued that after Atomic Testing and 9/11 Pakistan faced the worst sanctions but "since we had surplus in farm production Pakistan survived. During the current Covid-19 crisis Pakistan had enough of food commodities, so there is no panic like situation in the country.

"We the Pakistan Kissan Ittehad as our last hope, request Prime Minister Imran Khan who has shown his commitments to strike against mafias and cartels to personally intervene and support farmers at this very crucial time," he concluded.