LAHORE:
Pakistan Agri Forum (PAF) on Wednesday demanded cotton price to be fixed at Rs3,500 per maund on the back of drop in global prices to facilitate growers in the country.
PAF Chairman Mohammad Ibrahim Mughal said All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) and business institutions were purchasing cotton at Rs2,500 per maund from growers, which was against their interest.
The farmers are purchasing all agriculture inputs at very high rates, but the end crop is being purchased at very low price, he said. He urged the government to mobilise the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) to purchase cotton from the growers and to put an end to the exploitation of the poor farmers.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2011.
COMMENTS (5)
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I cultivated 40 hector Cotton this year. I tried my level best to sow best and latest seeds. I also purchased every input at a very high price. Keeping in view the last year rates of Phutti, I was very hopeful that i would be able to clear all my bank loans this year. But in the end, I just wana to say that these prices of phutti have hit me below the belt. and we are all still in a shock. I agree that the minimum price level of Phutti should not be less from 3500 at any cost.
Please Save Farmer Save Pakistan
I think this is not fair with poor farmers and growers of the cotton.
this is not the resonable price of raw cotton.
Have worked with differnt fesibilities of cotton growers , Its really a BIG UPSET for the small cotton growers . And agreed that atleast phutti price should be approx 3500/maund to cover thier expenses + reasonable profit for thier long struggle of 5-6 months.
I feel it’s too early to say something about price intervention by the government. At the moment, the rain affected phutti is coming to the market that fetches lower prices and averaging at lower side impression of market price. Though the input cost is too high for all agriculture commodity production but current bumper crop, low disease incidence and better management also shows a trend in improved high yield per unit area translating it to a somewhat downward trend in cost per 40 kg of cotton. Average September price is not very much in deviation from the last years’ September prices except for Sindh which is mainly due to degraded quality and seed damage in Phutti because of rains.