Multan
Provincial Minister for Agriculture Hussain Jehanian Gardezi on Saturday said few persons damaged agriculture zoning system and inflicted heavy loss to cotton sector especially in South Punjab.
Cotton remained an important cash of South Punjab as millions of people were associated with the crop, the provincial minister expressed these remarks while addressing a ceremony at Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Gardezi remarked that cotton had vital role in country’s exports and provision of employment opportunities to the people in the region. Reduction in cotton production put huge burden on country’s economy, he stated.
Loss in cotton sector was very much difficult to recover, he noted. Pakistan has important raw material now. However, Pakistan had enough cotton for preparation of value added goods. Hussain Jehanian remarked adding that country could make progress by focusing on agriculture, production and commercial sectors.
He stated that Bangladesh was not producer of cotton but it was exporting textile products. He, however, added that Pakistan’s textile sector was working with full capacity. Country’s exports were on increase due to effective policies of the government, he said adding, to boost exports further, the country would have to focus on cotton sector. “We will have to follow modern technology”, he remarked, adding, research institutes should also be upgraded.
Gardezi also informed that government was also aware of the issue of subsidy on fertilizers through token. The government was working on its substitute, he said hoping for rapid progress on it soon.
Jehanian also focused on promotion of tunnel farming. He also expressed concern over construction of housing societies at agriculture land. The housing societies damaged fertile land, he said. Responding to a question, the provincial minister said provision of electricity to tube wells on subsidize prices was better option if compared to fixed rates. —APP
