Faisalabad:Cotton has a significant role in national development by stabilizing national economy, therefore, a comprehensive program has been launched for revival of this most precious crop on war-footing, said Dr Sajid-ur-Rehman Director General Research Punjab.
Addressing a function arranged at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) to mark the World Cotton Day here on Monday, he said that Pakistan was the fifth major cotton producing country and its economy mostly depended on this crop.
He said that cotton was playing an important role in national development in addition to creating employment opportunities for a large number of people while southern Punjab had a lion’s share in the production of this crop.
He expressed concern over decline in cotton production and said that use of latest technology was imperative for increasing production of this crop.
He stressed the need of close liaison among cotton producing countries including Pakistan and said that experts of these countries should exchange
their expertise and research works so that cotton sector could be promoted on sustainable basis to cater to future needs of the burgeoning population at national as well as at international level.
He said that World Trade Organization had declared October 07 as World Cotton Day with an aim to highlight the importance of cotton crop.
He urged the agriculture scientists to accelerate their efforts and introduce climate resilient varieties of cotton so that production of this crop could be enhanced for greater national interest.
He also highlighted the importance of quality seed, pesticides and fertilizers and said that incumbent government was making elaborate efforts to facilitate the farmers with high-quality seed and other input commodities at farm level besides providing them subsidies and incentives for increasing per acre cotton yield.
Dr Jahanzaib Farooq Incharge Cotton Section AARI said that AARI scientists were conducting research on 400 new lines. They had introduced a single gene cotton variety F
H-416 and Punjab Seed Council would hopefully approve it for commercial purposes in its next meeting. Similarly, new more varieties including one triple gene line were also in final stage of approval, he added.
He said that cotton was a cash crop which not only played a dynamic role in stabilizing national economy by fetching precious foreign exchange but also helped the growers to mitigate their financial constraints.
He said that the government had launched a massive program in April this for revival of cotton crop and this drive had yielded positive results by increasing cotton-cultivated areas and enhancing its production.
He urged the farming community to concentrate on cotton crop which would not only increase their income but also play a key role in enhancing national textile exports.
Chief Scientist Wheat Department AARI Dr Javaid Ahmad, Chief Scientist Oil-seed and Pulses Department Dr Khalid Hussain, Dr Saeed Ahmad, Yasir Ramzan, Iram Sharif, Aabiya Younus, Aamina Nazir, Iqra Parveen, Dr Amjad F
arooq, Ubaid Saeed, Dr Hafiz Saeed, Dr Shahid Munir Chohan, Dr Hasnain Babar, Muhammad Shehzad Sarwar, Deputy Director Agriculture Information Faisalabad Muhammad Ishaq Lashari and other experts were also present on the occasion.