Cotton lab equipment out of order

RAHIM YAR KHAN:

The equipment of a cotton fibre quality testing laboratory set up after spending billions of rupees has been out of order for that past two years.

Textile mills operating in the area are facing problems because of lack of confirmation of the quality of cotton. Rahim Yar Khan is renowned for its high-quality cotton production.

Former chairman of the Pakistan Cotton Yarn Association, Haji Mohammad Ibrahim, informed The Express Tribune that there was only one cotton fibre testing laboratory in the district. Around 120 cotton ginning, power loom and textile mills need to have their quality inspected.

The lab’s machinery has malfunctioned, which is the cause of the shutdown.

A laboratory official said, “A letter was sent to the ministry of agriculture for replacement of the machines when the old equipment broke down, but the government has not responded.”

Local business leader, Mian Mehmood Ahmed, said that factory owners had to travel to Sukkur or Bahawalpur, which cost money and time amid rising inflation.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2023.