RAHIM YAR KHAN, Nov 15: Commerce Minister Razaq Dawood on Thursday urged the textile millers to play a role of active buyer to make the supervised ginning scheme a success for the production of contamination-free cotton.

He was addressing a gathering of various stakeholders of the cotton market, organized by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCCA), here to review achievements of the venture launched in Punjab from this district on August 27 last to gin quality cotton.

Agriculture Minister Khair Mohammad Junejo, Trading Corporation of Pakistan Chairman Masood Alam Rizvi, All Pakistan Textile Mills Association Chairman Nadeem Maqbook, PCGA chairman Sheikh Saeed, growers’ representatives and government officials of federal and provincial agriculture departments were also present on the occasion.

Mr Dawood expressed his satisfaction over the response of farming community and ginners in Rahim Yar Khan to join hands to produce much-needed contamination-free cotton but was not as much happy over the response of Aptma as he said: “The millers should lose their clutches to encourage growers and ginners for the production of quality cotton.”

He announced that from now the TCP would focus in Rahim Yar Khan and if the millers showed disinterest then the corporation would lift the contamination-free cotton bales by paying a premium of Rs200 per maund besides the grade premium. He said the TCP would procure only the grade 1, 2 and 3 cotton on premium and discount basis.

He assured that he would come again in December to monitor the role of the TCP and the response of Aptma towards procuring cotton from Rahim Yar Khan.

The minister said in the next phase the venture would be launched in Multan and Bahawalpur districts. He also urged the ginners to pass on the benefits of premium to growers. “The war to produce all cotton of the country contamination-free has yet to be won,” he added.

While encouraging the farming community not to lose confidence into the wheat crop due to the bitter last harvest, he said about one million tons of wheat had been exported while contracts were being developed to export some 0.5 million tons more by the end of March next so that the carryover stocks could be done away with. “Wheat has better prospects in the coming Rabi season,” the minister asserted.

Mr Dawood hinted at a policy to be introduced next year to give sugarcane growers a premium of their produce having better sugar contents.

Khair Mohammad Junejo directed the provincial agriculture department authorities to implement strictly the laws against pesticide adulteration. He also pointed out the contamination problem in wheat saying, “selling the country’s surplus wheat in international market is a herculean task.”