Cotton output may fall way short of target this season too

Country is likely to produce 10.5m bales against target of 14.10m

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is likely to miss its cotton production target this season as well as farmers, discouraged by persistently lower prices, switch to sugarcane cultivation with the setting up of more sugar mills in south Punjab.

The lower output of the key cash crop of cotton may also made it tough for the government to achieve its annual economic growth target of 5.7% in the current fiscal year 2016-17.



In the previous 2015-16 season, the government had set cotton production target at 14.5 million bales, but actual output remained way short at 9.5 million bales, which also slowed down the annual economic expansion.

At the beginning of current season, the Federal Committee on Agriculture had projected that farmers would plant cotton over an area of 3.009 million hectares and produce 14.101 million bales.

The Cotton Crop Assessment Committee (CCAC), which met for its third meeting on Monday, estimated production of only 10.542 million bales, noting 20% less area had been sown with cotton crop in Punjab due to price fall, lower returns and anticipated more rains that would hurt output.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Textile Industry, Punjab will produce 6.903 million bales, Sindh 3.6 million bales, Balochistan 0.038 million bales and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 0.001 million bales.

In the CCAC sitting, chaired by Ministry of Textile Industry Secretary Hassan Iqbal, Cotton Commissioner Dr Khalid Abdullah presented an overview of the cotton crop including the threat from insects, pests and diseases, market patterns and other factors such as high temperature and lead reddening/burning.

Representatives of Sindh and Punjab governments elaborated on the crop assessment methodology and gave output estimates.

A Karachi Cotton Association member endorsed the assessment, saying it was very realistic and ground realities were very close to the forecast.



Cotton growers, however, emphasised the need for providing quality seeds, keeping input prices at affordable levels and price intervention by the government in such a way that farmers were able to reap the benefits.

The textile industry secretary suggested developing a scientific model for production estimates and forecasting that could assess accurate, reliable and more authentic crop size.

He gave directives for creating awareness of the standard bale size and proper cotton packaging in the electronic and print media to ensure strict compliance. He also called for developing an effective production plan with measures aimed at enhancing the sowing area and crop productivity.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2016.

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