Pakistan
October 29, 2011

Cotton Crop Assessment Committee (CCAC) has projected cotton production in the country at 12.22 million bales for the current season 2011-12.

Representatives of the provincial governments, farmers, Karachi Cotton Association (KCA), Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA), All Pakistan textile Mills Association (APTMA), Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and Department of Plant Protection (DPP) also attended the meeting.

After a detailed deliberation on various aspects of cotton production the committee reached an agreement that cotton crop of 12.223 million bales of 170 kg each i.e. 2.078 million tons from 6956607 acres is expected this year.

Moreover, this year cotton crop was planted on 0.67% and 12.25 % above the target area set for Punjab and Sindh province, respectively.

Standing crop was good, Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV) disease incidence and pest attack was low as compared to the last years and a bumper crop of about 15 million bales was expected, but recent rain and floods in Sindh and in Punjab resulted in shedding of flowers and immature fruiting bodies on an huge area.

It was also discussed that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is emerging as cotton growing area and a substantial increase in the cotton cultivated area in Dera Ismail Khan and Tank has been reported, whereas, this year over 100 acres of cotton was also planted in District Sawabi.

The Ministry also expected an increasing trend of cotton cultivation in the province after the commencement of Gomal Zam irrigation project, which will irrigate 163 thousand acres.

The representative of KP government asked Aptma to provide incentives to the poor growers in the area to enhance cotton production.

In reply Aptma representative said that they were ready to provide free of cost seed to the growers of that area.

Website: http://www.pabic.com.pk

Published: October 31, 2011