ISLAMABAD, Aug 25: The treasury and opposition members in the National Assembly on Wednesday criticized the performance of the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and reprimanded Minister for Food and Agriculture Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind and Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan for defending the corporation.

The two ministers came under fire when they refuted the assertions made by certain members of the opposition and treasury benches while speaking on a calling attention notice that the TCP was not performing well and doing nothing for improving the agricultural sector.

The calling attention notice was moved by Syed Qurban Ali Shah of the People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) through which he invited the attention of Minister for Food and Agriculture Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind to the issue of 'falling off prices of cotton (phutti) during the current season'.

The PPP MNA said the government had fixed the support price at Rs925 per 40kg, but farmers were forced to sell their crops at low prices. He said he had himself sold his crop at the rate of Rs910 per 40kg.

The agriculture minister said the government would take notice if it got report from anywhere regarding falling off prices of cotton. He said the TCP had been asked to intervene if it found any violation of the cabinet decision, in which the support price was fixed.

Another PPP MNA Syed Zafar Ali Shah said the TCP had always looked after the interests of industrialists and it would not take any step for the farmers' betterment. Aftab Shah Jillani of the PPP asked the minister to tell the house how many centres had been established by the TCP in the country. He said if the TCP had surplus cotton then why was it importing the crop.

Mr Rind said the TCP would purchase cotton even beyond its limit in order to keep the prices stable. He said funds had already been provided to the TCP for this purpose. He said the TCP had been directed to make arrangements for procurement of 100,000 cotton bales.

"We have not set any limit and are ready to purchase as much cotton required to maintain prices," he added. He said so far 10 TCP centres were functioning in the country and if any member wanted to have a new centre, he should point it out to the government.

At this point, ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) MNA from Vehari Ishaq Khakwani lashed out at the government's agriculture policy and asked the minister to explain as to why the agriculture growth rate had declined from 4.2 per cent to 2.6 per cent this year.

The opposition members thumped desks when Mr Khakwani said the agricultural growth rate was 11 per cent in 1996 while the industry's growth rate was 18 per cent.