Chairman of Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) Dr Jeso Mal has said the government should patronise the cotton growers and it must ensure purchase of their produce on fair price to boost up the cotton production up to 20 million bales and saving foreign exchange of Rs 60 billion per annum.
Talking to media men along with Senior Vice Chairman of PCGA Suhail Mehmood Haral, Former Chairman Shehzad Ali Khan and Haji Muhammad Akram Chairman of Ginners Group here today DrJeso Mal said, "We have decided not to be blackmailed at the hands of cartel of textile millers and we would prefer to export our product on the prices of our own choice. "He said that Pakistan would have to spend at least Rs 40 billion to purchase at least 4 million bales of cotton from different countries this year to run its textile as well as value-added industry".
He said the Punjab has showed 40.76 percent less production of cotton this year. However, the Sindh province increased its cotton production by 6.61 percent. Seed cotton (Phutti) equivalent to over 26,45,349 bales of cotton have reached ginneries across Pakistan as of September 30, 2016 showing a decrease of 13.93 per cent compared to corresponding period last year when ginneries received 30,73,325 bales, according to the Ist fortnightly report of Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) issued here. It further said that cotton ginners would not bow down before the textile millers and they would export their product of fair return.
Briefing the media men about cotton production and said that out of the total arrivals, 2.645 million bales of cotton have been converted into bales so far. Ginneries in Punjab recorded arrival of 7,88,699 bales showing decrease of 40.78 per cent. Sindh ginneries recorded arrival of 18,56,650 bales while last year Sindh received 17,41,486 bales merely 6.61 percent increase. Ginneries in Sindh recorded an increase of 6.61 as compared to corresponding period last year.
Textile mills have bought 19,81,338 bales while exporters bought 67,391 bales. The total bales sold out so far were calculated at 20,48,727 bales. Multan received 15,983 bales 21.50 percent increase than last year, Lodhran 13,960 bales 31.86% short, Khanewal 1,46,738 bales 39.28% short, Muzaffargarh 30,093bales a decrease of 39.75%, Dera Ghazi Khan 21,756, a decrease of 58.63,Rajanpur 28,490 bales ,54.44% decrease, Layyah 27,905, Vehari 85,065 bales 52.97 per cent less, Sahiwal 81,201 bales 46.76 per cent less than last year, Pakpattan 21,120 bales 60.76 per cent less, Okara 10,000- 56.84 per cent less, Qasur Zero ,Toba Tek Singh 55,139 bales, Faisalabad 17,093 bales, Jhang 11,475 Mianwali 27,380, Bhakkar 15,740 Sargodha 1,700, Rahimyar Khan 18,058 bales 42.56 per cent decrease, Bahawalpur 54,050, and Bahawalnagar 1,05,750 bales.
In Sindh: Hyderabad 1,57,538 bales 6.36 per cent more than last year, Mirpur Khas (Thar) 1,82,468, bales 13.52 per cent less, Sangarh ,9,55,203 bales 4.15 per cent increase, Nawabshah 1,64,011 bales, Naushero Feroze 89,027 bales, Khairpur 59,077 Ghotki Zero, Sukkur 96.155,Dadu 35,309, Jamshoro 82,657 bales, Badin 338,273 1,645 bales and Balochistan 38,273. Total 640 ginning factories are operational in the country.
Of them 391 in the Punjab and 249 in Sindh. Total 5,96,622 bales are lying in ginneries as unsold stock.