November 16, 2001	Friday	Shaba'an 29, 1422

KARACHI, Nov 15: The government drive to produce contamination- free cotton in the country is giving encouraging results as the two districts — Rahimyar Khan in Punjab and Gotki in Sindh — selected as pilot project are giving encouraging response.

This was observed by the minister for commerce Abdul Razak Dawood after his visit on Thursday to Rahimyar Khan district. Briefing a hurriedly called press conference at TCP head office in Karachi the minister appreciated growers for adopting new methods needed to ensure contamination-free production of cotton.

He said that during his stay in Rahimyar Khan, he observed that cotton was being transported from fields to ginners in cotton bags as had been suggested by the government.

“I would say that there is a rapid change in culture, and growers have given very encouraging results in our endeavour to produce quality as well as contamination-free cotton in the country,” he added.

In past transportation of phutti from fields to ginners in jute or polypropylene bags used to contaminate the cotton. Similarly, he said, foreign matters like human hairs, toffee rapes, etc., used to contaminate the cotton but now the growers have started following methods as had been suggested by the government for the transportation of phutti to ginners.