KARACHI: President of the Pakistan Business Forum (PBF), Khwaja Mahboob ur Rehman, has urged the Federal Ministry of National Food Security to take emergency measures to save cotton.

In a letter, he said that exploitation of local cotton should be stopped, and the government may immediately eliminate the GST on local cotton.

President of the PBF further emphasized that a comprehensive policy may be formulated to uplift the local cotton industry. He mentioned that cotton farmers are currently tied down by wrong policies. The target of at least 15 million bales of local production must be met annually. He questioned, “Why is there a ban on imported cotton seeds?”

The President also highlighted that seed companies have formed a cartel in the cotton industry, which is preventing farmers from receiving a fair price. He called for a reduction in the volume of imported cotton under the Export Facilitation Scheme.

He stated that investors have deliberately reduced the cotton cultivation area. He suggested that if the government forms a fact-finding commission on this issue, the details will come to light.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025