MoTI, PCGA at loggerheads over cotton production estimates | Business Recorder

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MoTI, PCGA at loggerheads over cotton production estimates

December 07, 2012 TAHIR AMIN 0 Comments The Ministry of Textile Industry (MoTI) and Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) are at loggerheads over the cotton production estimates for 2012-13. The Cotton Crop Assessment Committee (CCAC) met with Shahid Rashid Secretary Ministry of Textile Industry in the chair where cotton production in the country was projected at 13.3 million bales for the current season 2012-13. However, the PCGA has rejected the cotton production estimate of the CCAC describing it as an exaggeration and said that cotton production for 2012-13 would not be more than 12.66 million bales. The CCAC has upwardly revised the projected cotton production to 13.3 million bales against the 12.66 million bales projected last month, which is less than the initial estimate of 14.6 million bales for the current season 2012-13. The projected estimate is also less than the preceding year's output that was (13.59 million bales). MinTex officials, representatives of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC), provincial governments, Federal Plant Protection Department, Trading Co-operation of Pakistan (TCP), cotton growers, and PCGA attended the meeting. Exchairman PCGA Amanullah Qureshi accused the Ministry and All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) of exploiting the growers, saying that they want to influence cotton price. As compared to last month estimate, cotton arrival declined by 5,000 bales. However the CCAC has revised it upward by 0.7 million bales. APTMA is proposing a further decrease in the cotton price, Qureshi maintained. Mahesh Kumar chairman PCGA told Business Recorder that cotton crop season is closing, but CCAC has revised the estimate upward. "We have recorded our protest to the government of Punjab and Sindh and demanded intervention as incorrect figures would affect growers", Kumar added. Dr Khalid Abdullah Cotton Commissioner Ministry of Textile Industry told Business Recorder that the estimate of cotton crop issued by CCAC for the current year is based on "unbiased" data and research. He said that CCAC is the authentic and official forum for the cotton crop assessment in the country, as it brings all stakeholders and experts of the country on one table to discuss and announce the estimate. He further said that the estimate of CCAC is mainly based on data provided by Crop Reporting Services of Provincial Agriculture Departments. While briefing the committee, Commissioner said that according to the projection, Punjab will produce 9.6 million bales of cotton, Sindh will produce 3.6 million bales while Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will produce 0.1 million bales in the current season. He further said that cotton crop was sown on 0.58 million hectares in Sindh and 2.356 million hectares in Punjab in 2012-13, which was 7 percent and 12 percent less than area under cultivation in Punjab and Sindh provinces last year, respectively. The main reasons for less area under cultivation were low prices during last year, water shortage, and comparatively higher incidence of Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV) during the current year. Moreover, the country also witnessed heavy rains during September, damaging an area of 234,982 acres in Punjab and Sindh.

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MoTI, PCGA at loggerheads over cotton production estimates | Business Recorder

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http://www.brecorder.com/cotton-a-textiles/185/1265173/?tmpl=component&print=1&la... 12/10/2012