Staff Reporter
Karachi
Former chairman FPCCI’s Standing Committee on Agriculture, Ahmad Jawad said to turn down the summary of Ministry of National Food Security was unjustified regarding support price of cotton which is essential at this point to promote the crop so that import may be discouraged; as in 2019 country import of cotton was US$831.78 million according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.
“On May 07, 2020, ECC rejected a proposal of Ministry of National Food Security and Research in which intervention price of seed cotton (Phutti) was proposed at Rs 4,224 per mound”. Jawad said again you will see no cotton growing when farmers couldn’t get incentives; despite the fact it was a provincial subject but write now country needs good production of cotton and need to encourage growers to cultivate for a prompt supply to textile industry with a concept of Made in Pakistan.
He said the world has learned lessons during the current Covid-19 outbreak and realized that everything comes after food security and agriculture but unfortunately, Pakistanis have not learned the lesson or are intentionally ignoring it.
The former chairman FPCCI’s Standing Committee on Agriculture also stated that advisor to PM on commerce should understand that revival of textile exports cannot be achieved with the quantity and quality of cotton produced in Pakistan. For the financial year 2020 about 15 million bales of cotton are required but only half of that amount is produced locally.
He also questioned if Advisor to PM on Commerce didn’t agree with the support price but he wants to encourage cotton production in Pakistan then at least he can speak in ECC to revisit the support price and second the summary.
Jawad said that the ECC decision reflects that battle with the textile industry, growers who want fair price of their produce have lost the case against the strong lobby that has taken over the forum and got a decision in their favor.
