Agricultural affairs: Guidelines on cotton-picking discussed

Clean cotton-picking, proper storage, transportation can benefit economy through enhanced income worth billions

MUZAFFARGARH: Clean cotton-picking, proper storage and transportation can benefit the economy through enhanced income worth billions of rupees. Agriculture District Officer Mahr Abid Hussain told growers that lack of proper measures in transportation of raw cotton from the fields to ginning factories compromises the quality of silver fibre and causes a loss worth billions of rupees. He recommended that farmers should begin cotton-picking only when its bolls are fully opened. Picking of silver fibre from unripe bolls can compromise its natural color and bring difficulties in the ginning process due to moisture. Hussain told growers the dos and don’ts of cotton-picking. She said that measures should be adopted to keep cotton contamination-free during transportation. Hussain also advised ginners to let the cotton dry up in the sunlight for few days before putting it into the machine for ginning. Cotton should have only 8.5% moisture at the time of ginning, any more would weaken the fibre and compromise quality.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2^nd, 2014.

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