MULTAN:Cotton experts, agriculture scientists, bureaucrats and stakeholders were busy brainstorming to carve out a Cotton Action Plan (CAP) for enhanced per-acre production on the orders of Caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab Mohsin Naqvi and officials believed it would be ready for execution within the next 10 days.
This was stated by Secretary of agriculture south Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel at a meeting chaired by Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab Captain (retd) Saqib Zafar where officials discussed the headway made so far on CAP.
Speaking on the occasion, ACS Saqib Zafar said that research on cotton was not carried out in a way to match the production results of developed countries. He added that while Pakistan’s average per acre production was reeling at 20 Maunds, countries like China, Australia and the United States of America were getting 60 plus Maunds per acre production.
Saqib Zafar stressed the need for cotton research on modern lines to develop climate-smart varieties that not only benefit farmers but also contribute to the national economy.
He said sizable funding has been ensured for Cotton Research Institute (CRI) for the purpose.
Secretary of Agriculture said on the occasion that recommendations and proposals have been sought from experts to enhance cotton production this season and the next one.
He said that the cotton action plan would be finalized in the light of recommendations from agriculture scientists, experts, engineers and stakeholders and would be submitted to the ACS South Punjab within the next 10 days.
He identified white flies and pink bollworms behind the failure of cotton in achieving desired production results. He said that off-season management that was in practice for the last many years was also not helping enough in tackling pink bollworm.
He suggested manufacturing mechanical boll pickers and applying these in cotton fields as the only solution to counter pink bollworms.