Tuesday, January 22, 2013 - LAHORE
Production of around 20 million cotton bales by 2016 will be ensured by benefiting from already available global research of cotton seed instead of reinventing the wheel, said Shahzad Ali Khan, executive head of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC). After revamping PCCC, the number of private sector representatives in its board has been increased to 16 against nine from the federal and provincial governments, he said.
"This was done at the initiative of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) that voluntary offered to increase the cotton cess from Rs20 per bale to Rs50 per bale on the condition that the private sector be allowed to use this amount for extensive cotton research," said Khan, adding that the private sector stakeholders are disappointed at the stagnant cotton production during the last two decades. During the last two decades, cotton production in Pakistan stayed around 700kg per hectare, while the productivity during the same period has doubled in China from 650kg per hectare to 1,300kg per hectare, he said.
India increased its cotton production from 290kg per hectare to 550kg per hectare, said Khan, adding that this was achieved through extensive research and development on cotton seed. Khan said that Pakistan Central Cotton Committee oversees entire cotton research in the country through its centres. "They have excellent scientists and infrastructure but were financially starved to carry out research," he added. Transfer of control of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee to the private sector has started paying dividends as its financial position has improved considerably to pave the way for extensive research on cotton seed, he said, adding that cotton cess collection is very patchy and complete cess was not collected.
The cess was collected at old rates of Rs20 per bale during July and August but the collection in these two months was Rs35.51 million against the target of Rs23.53 million, he said, adding that this increase was possible because of the facilitation of various rebates and incentives by the ministry of textile to the mills was subject to clearance by the cotton committee. Khan said that when he took the executive control of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee it had already withdrawn Rs120 million from workers provident fund to pay the salaries of the employees. "Today Pakistan Central Cotton Committee has more than Rs120 million in its account and the provident fund has been returned," he said.
Pakistan Central Cotton Committee, he said, collected Rs197 million during September-December 2012 period. "The PCCC board has decided to appoint a professional chief executive officer, a chief financial officer and a chief scientist," he said, adding that the posts have been advertised and appointments would be made after due process. Khan said that Pakistan Central Cotton Committee has approached the relevant agencies in the United States, China and India to benefit from their research. The United States and India has responded, while response from China is awaited. Pakistan Central Cotton Committee would conduct research on biotech cotton seed, hybrid cotton seed and conventional cotton seeds, he said, adding that research would also develop seeds, keeping in view the climate change and developing drought resistant varieties. He claimed that the cotton production in Pakistan would reach 25 million bales. "This is possible because some farmers in Sindh and South Punjab are obtaining 40 percent more yield than the national average," he added.
(Source: International The News)