With a view to increase cotton production in the region, Pakistan's Punjab government is considering introducing new cotton seeds with the help of US agricultural firm Monsanto, said Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, while addressing agricultural sector representatives at the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) in Faisalabad.
The Punjab Governor was speaking during an event organized by AARI to celebrate American biologist and renowned agriculturist Norman E. Borlaug's 100th birthday, as well as commemorating 50 years of cooperation between Pakistan and the US in the agricultural sector, reports Business Recorder.
Governor Sarwar said introducing the American cotton seeds in the region would increase cotton production in Punjab to 26 million bales from the current 13 million bales.
At the meeting, Punjab Minister for Agriculture Farrukh Javed said that the regional government visualizes the agricultural sector to be a scientifically advanced sector that can combat any kind of challenges.
With the efforts of farmers in the region and the support from provincial government, Punjab would be able to increase production of various agricultural products, including cotton, he added.
The event saw participation from Ali Tahir, secretary general of Punjab Agricultural Ministry, Jeani Borlaug Laube, daughter of Norman E. Borlaug and chairperson of the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI), director general of AARI Abid Mahmood, and several other agricultural experts from the Punjab agricultural sector.
As per the consolidated data of cotton arrivals in factories of Pakistan prepared by Pakistan Cotton Ginners' Association (PCGA), over 9.63 million bales of cotton reached ginneries in Punjab by April 15, of which, 9.628 million bales were pressed, leaving an unginned stock of 2,480 cotton bales. Majority of the bales were sold to local textile mills, and only 120,198 bales were sold to exporters.
Last month, during the third meeting of Pakistan's Federal Committee on Cotton (FCC), production target of the crop in the region for 2014-15 was set at 15.1 million bales of 170 kg each.
