Pakistan's FCC Unanimously Agreed to Fix The Cotton Target at 15.1 Million Bales

The third meeting of Pakistan’s Federal Committee on Cotton (FCC), held under the chairmanship of Rukhsana Shah, Secretary, Ministry of Textile Industry (MinTex), unanimously agreed to fix the cotton production target at 15.1 million bales of 170 kg each for 2014-15 season.   At the meeting, Dr. Khalid Abdullah, Cotton Commissioner stated that a target of 14.1 million bales was set for the year 2013-14 and the cotton crop size for the season had been assessed at 12.32 million bales of 170 kg.   Explaining the reason for increasing the cotton production target for 2014-15 season, Ms. Shah said that despite the persistent problems of decreasing acreage, non-availability of quality seed, and rising prices of inputs, the country had the potential of producing 20 million bales of cotton per annum.   “This higher target would push all concerned departments to work harder to increase cotton production through structured intervention programmes and better extension services, while MinTex would do all in its power to resolve the policy issues relating to seed certification, NBC procedures, training programmes, awareness campaign for cotton cultivation,” Ms. Shah said according to an official press release.   The FCC estimated that cotton would be grown on 2.428 million hectares of land in Punjab province and on 0.65 million hectares in Sindh province, resulting in production of 10.5 million bales and 4.2 million bales, respectively, in 2014-15.   Ms. Shah stated that MinTex has already made a comprehensive plan for farmers training programme and mass awareness campaign for enhancing cotton productivity in the country. She also stated that Punjab must work on enhancing yield per hectare.   Dr. Muhammad Ali Talpur, Director, Marketing & Economic Research, Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC), highlighted the figures of recent imports of cotton yarn and raw cotton from India. “It is expected that this huge stock piles of cotton and cotton yarn may affect the cotton prices for the crop season 2014. So, intervention price may be considered for announcement,” he suggested.   Dr. Khalid Abdullah stated that during month of March, a three-day cotton training programme is going to be started for the field staff of Khyber Pakthukhwa and Balochistan provinces.