PCGA Has Demanded That The Government Put a Ban on Import of Cotton and Yarn From India

The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) has demanded that the Government put a ban on import of cotton and yarn from India through the Wagah border. The demand was raised at the Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting of PCGA, reports Business Recorder.

At the meeting, PCGA chairman Mukhtar Ahmed Khan Baloch constituted an international liaison committee to increase interaction with various international associations so as to get the membership of the International Cotton Association.

Those present at the meeting were informed that cotton sowing in the current season was 25 percent lower till May 10, 2014, compared to the previous season, owing to incessant rains in cotton sowing zones.

The CEC also took an important decision to register all eligible brokers without charging any fee, in order to safeguard the interest of cotton ginners as well as growers. In future, PCGA members would not deal with unregistered brokers.

The CEC also took a decision that the PCGA members would not supply cotton to the defaulting textile mills. For the purpose, members have to submit the list of such textile mills to the PCGA.

The meeting urged the Commerce Minister to immediately release the payment of outstanding amount deducted by the textile mills at the rate of one percent while purchasing cotton from the ginners, under the withholding tax.

As on May 1, 2014, the arrival of cotton at ginneries in Pakistan increased by 3.69 percent year-on-year to 13.391 million bales during 2013-14 season, according to the PCGA.