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Pakistan:12.1m cotton bales output estimated |
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2004-11-9
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The Standing Committee on Cotton Crop Assessment (SCCCA) has put the estimate of cotton production in the country this year at 12.1m bales.
According to Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) figures, a 51 percent rise in the arrivals of cotton was noticed this year by November 1, 2004, as against compared to the same period last year. It was also reported that against 905 ginneries last year, 959 ginning factories were operative at present in the cotton growing areas of the country while last year only 903 ginneries were in operation in the corresponding period last year.
The committee hoped that a sizeable cotton crop had yet to reach the ginneries owing to seven per cent increase in the area under cotton cultivation, favourable weather conditions and low pressure of insects/pests as compared to the last year.
Considering all factors the committee estimated the possible crop size at 12.1m bales on ex-farm basis. Later talking to newsmen, the federal agriculture minister said that the government had been keeping a watchful eye in order to ensure the farming community a fair price against their produce.
He said it had been decided in the weekly meeting of the inter-ministerial committee on cotton that the Trading Corporation of Pakistan would procure 3,000 bales from each of operational ginning factories instead of the earlier decision of the procurement of 2,000 bales per ginnery.
He stated that the TCP had been directed to invite cotton export tenders in order to avoid glut of the commodity. The minister said that the TCP had been allowed to procure cotton on discount and premium basis, depending on the grade. |
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