Cotton production shows decline

MULTAN: Cotton has started to arrive at ginning factories in Punjab and Sindh but statistical indicators show less production in September than the corresponding period of last year, mainly because of poor research and cotton varieties failed to resist whitefly attacks in the South Punjab region.

Growers and ginners held the government policies responsible for crop failure and unabated decline in the under-cultivation area and production. Cotton was major and cash crop but growers were unable to get a favorable environment to grow and pick their crop after investing heavy money. The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association’s statistics also confirmed decline in production.

The country had imported wheat and sugar this year and now it was feared that the country would have to import cotton this year to meet textile demands.

In Punjab, only two districts, Layyah 35.4pc and Mianwali 100pc, were showing increase in production. The rest of the districts were showing shortfall in production, which include Multan 12.2pc.

Lodhran 72.28pc, Khanewal 50.78pc, Muzaffargarh 0.30pc, Dera Ghazi Khan 47.5pc, Rajanpur 75.4pc, Vehari 48.85pc, Sahiwal 31.89pc, Pakpattan 81.18pc, Okara 100pc, Toba Tek Singh 25.7pc, Faisalabad 27.54pc, Jhang 16.56pc, Bhakkar 100pc, Rahimyar Khan 90.57pc, Bahawalpur 75.18pc and Bahawalnagar 35.85pc.

In Sindh, only Naushero Feroz district had increased crop size to 15.17pc. The rest of others had lost production. PCGA ex-chairman Sohail Mehmood said that unfortunately growers were not provided good quality seed and pesticides to kill pests attack crop at massive level particularly in the South Punjab.

The continuous dismal situation had forced growers to divert other crops, which resulted under cultivation area went reduced, he lamented. Meanwhile, the PCGA statistics said that the ginning factories in Punjab received 334,863 bales as compared to the same corresponding period of last year when Punjab ginning factories had received 598,314 bales.