MULTAN:Vice President, Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC), Dr. Muhammad Ali Talpur informed International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) in an online meeting that there existed a credible system of cotton statistics compilation in Pakistan and data is collected on scientific lines involving different government departments and private sector.
The online ICAC meeting with ICAC member countries also had cotton experts from Pakistan and other cotton producing countries in attendance and detailed discussions were held on last year’s cotton statistics compiled by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the objections raised by Pakistan over it, says a release issued here Friday by CCRI Multan spokesman.
PCCC vice president Dr. Muhammad Ali Talpur represented Pakistan. Director CCRI Multan Dr. Zahid Mahmood, National Accounts Director of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) Faazil Mahmood Baig, and other CCRI Multan officials were present. Foreign countries’ participants and key members included economist from ICAC secretariat Ms Lorina Ruiz Moreno, commodity trade analyst Ms Parkhi Vits and others.
Dr. Talpur said that a very effective and workable system existed in Pakistan for collection of cotton crop statistics, its documentation, and its protection. The statistics are announced officially and senior efficient officers of different government departments including Federal Committee on Agriculture, Cotton Crop Assessment Committee (CCAC), and Crop Reporting Department do this job. Sometimes, cooperation from private sector entities is also sought in this process, he said adding the data compiled through a long process involving many departments corresponded to the reality on the ground.
Last year USDA had issued Pakistan cotton statistics showing cotton production at five million bales and Pakistan representative had raised objections over it, the release said adding that seven (7) million cotton bales was the actual figure obtained through credible sources of government departments and private sector entities and it matched the ground realities.