LAHORE: The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) and Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement activities to mainstream sustainability in cotton production in Pakistan.

Aptma will be the Programme Promoting Agency within Pakistan to promote the initiative in line with the BCI’s Strategic Plan for the country.

The MoU will supplement the efforts for mainstreaming production and consumption of BCI cotton in Pakistan. The initiative also aims in achieving sustainability targets and increase the market access for textile products from Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Aptma Chairman S M Tanveer said the production of better cotton in Pakistan had increased to 293,000 metric tonnes in 2014 from 163,000 metric tonnes in 2013.

This is a clear indication that the supply and demand of BCI cotton is rapidly on the rise, he said.

He urged all stakeholders in the textile industry value chain to expedite work for reaching 100 per cent production and consumption of better cotton.

BCI Chief Executive Officer Patrick Charles Laine termed the event a landmark in the overall improvement of global cotton production and textile sector as well as the environment it is produced in and the people associated with producing it.

The production principles include crop protection, conservation of water, soil and habitat care besides the fibre quality and decent work, he highlighted.

Published in Dawn, November 22th , 2014