Punjab Minister for Trade and Investment Dr Sohail Zafar Cheema said, we need to produce value-added goods to compete in the international markets and face challenges. "Only then our economy will improve", he said while addressing a Cotton Ginners Association's general body meeting here on Monday.
The minister said the replacement of ginning machinery was the need of hour as the old machinery currently in use consumed huge amounts of power, which increased production cost. The provision of premium to farmers and ginners on clean cotton has improved the situation, he observed.
The minister said that 80 percent of clean cotton was produced in South Punjab and the government had announced different development packages for this area, which would help improve lives of the people.