The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) has rejected the revised crop output report of Cotton Crop Assessment Committee (CCAC) and protest against not entertaining the point of view of the PCGA and developing a pressure on the market by enhancing the production target.
Addressing a press conference Chairman of PCGA Mahesh Kumar along with former chairmen Haji Muhammad Akram, Amanullah Qureshi, former vice chairmen Mukesh Kumar, Ramesh Lal, Rashid Mehmood, and Shehzad Ali Khan said that CCAC increased the production target to 13.3 million bales to please the APTMA.
They alleged that CCAC had become a toy in the hands of Aptma. They further said that the committee would be responsible for the financial losses to the farmers as well as growers. Earlier, CCAC has fixed the crop output figures of 12.598 million bales," Mahesh Kumar said that ginneries have received 10.7 million bales up to December 15 and still more than 962 ginneries were functioning across the country.
He said that some elements in CCAC were protecting the interests of Aptma who want to keep cotton prices at the lowest level, while prices are increasing in international markets. He said that "we have registered our protest on the role of CCAC and rejected its figures of production." He demanded for imposing ban on the import of cotton from India and other countries because there was dire need of foreign exchange. Our currency was depreciated rapidly due to a wide gap between the imports and exports.
He said that Pakistani cotton was far better than India superior quality called Shankar-6. The CCAC said that the crop output was expected to cross 13.3 million bales, at the average weight of 170-kg per bale, during the crop season 2011-12. Cotton production target was set at 14.01 million bales for the FY 2012-13, which was revised due to incessant rains and unfair weather in Punjab and set at 12.5 million bales.
The meeting of the CCAC to assess the final figures of crop output in the country was held. Secretary Ministry of Textile Industry said that draft of cotton policy is being finalised by taking all stakeholders on board to provide quality seed for enhancing per acre crop output.
He said that the Ministry of Textile Industry was working with provincial ministries to improve the regulations and amendments in law was required to provide quality seeds and other inputs for farmers to enhance per acre yield. To protect the farmers and ensure the qualitative agri inputs in the country three bills including seed bill, plants breeder right and pesticide bill were presented before the concerned authorities for approval.
He said that cotton export from the country was expected to cross one million bales mark during the current season and it was also sufficient for domestic consumption. Progressive farmers' complaints about the low germination in seeds and adulterations in agri inputs like fertilisers and pesticides in the country which were reducing their output.