ISLAMABAD
Cotton Commissioner Dr Khalid Abdullah said on Monday that the area under cotton cultivation in the country is expected to increase by 20 percent in the next crop sowing season.
The cotton commissioner said the increase is expected due to high domestic and international cotton prices and the incentives introduced by the government.
He said the government is also intended to announce the intervention price of the major cash crops before the start of cotton sowing season 2022-23 to encourage the farmers to bring the maximum area under cotton cultivation that would also contribute significantly in achieving sustainable economic development.
He said during last year’s announcement of the cotton crop intervention price, local output of the crop grew by two million bales as compared to the previous year despite a 9% decrease of the area under crop cultivation.
The other factor that contributed to increasing cotton production was the grower’s investment in crop management, who applied adequate fertilizers and pesticides to eradicate the pest attacks, he said, adding that training programmes and workshops would also be organized to maintain the momentum.
He said that the government is also making possible efforts to promote this crop of vital importance that was equally profit oriented for the farming community as well as the industrial sector development in the country.
In order to enhance per-acre crop output across the country, efforts were made to ensure availability of certified high-yielding seeds, he said, adding that 4 triple gene cotton varieties and 7 double gene varieties were also approved by provincial seed councils for commercial cultivation in Pakistan.
The certified seed of approved varieties would be enough to cultivate over 3 million hectares and were available with private seed companies and public sector seed corporations, he said adding that the Ministry of National food Security and Research would also organize a national cotton conference, which would be attended by all stakeholders including growers and the industry.
Besides, the prime minister also gave a nod to constitute a high-level committee to negotiate with exotic and local technologies providing seed companies to introduce latest seed technologies for ensuring availability of quality seeds for farmers, he added.
Dr Abdullah further informed that the ministry has also approved a developmental project to introduce and develop cotton in new areas of Gomal Zam in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Balochistan to expand the area horizontally.
He said that efforts are also afoot to bring maximum land under cotton production through capacity building of potential farmers, provision of cotton related machinery and strengthening of cotton research system in these provinces.
Subsidy on cotton seed, white fly specific pesticides and fertilizers was likely to continue during the current season as it was provided during last year, he said adding that the ministry was also working on the Cotton Development Authority Act to comprehend the cotton research, grading and standardization and GMO technology licensing.
