KARACHI: Adversely affected by the decrease in area under cultivation coupled with the use of poor quality seed and pesticides, cotton production as of March 1 clocked in at 10.471 million bales down 6.80 per cent over the corresponding period last year.

Cotton analysts believe the cotton production during the current season (2018-19) is expected to be the second lowest in eight years.

The lowest production was recorded in 2015-16 season which fell to 9.7m bales, however, there is a stark difference between the two as the decline in cotton crop production three years ago was a result of massive pest attack including armyworm and pink bollworm which caused widespread devastation to the crop.

Whereas, the major cause for production shortage in the ongoing season is the reduced area under cotton crop cultivation and use of poor quality seed and pesticides resulting in poor yield per acre causing heavy losses to cotton growers.

According to private estimates, against 9m acres earmarked for cotton crop, only 6m acres have been cultivated in 2018-19.

For the last several years, cotton growers have gradually shifted to sugarcane crop either under the pressure of sugar mills which are mostly owned by political figures and influential landlords or due to economic factors since cotton crop needs heavy doses of pesticides which are mostly of poor quality.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has also taken notice of the falling cotton crop size and even directed concerned departments to take measures on war footing to achieve a target of 15m bales for next crop season (2019-20).

Meanwhile, Minister of Food Security and Research Sahibzada Mahboob Sultan had suggested that the government can set support price for phutti (seed cotton) at Rs3,500 per 40kg in order to encourage growers.

Cotton Commissioner Khalid Abdullah, who also happens to be vice president Pakistan Central Cotton Committee, said that next crop would not face water shortage but certified seed and quality pesticide will have to be used in order to increase yield.

Moreover, the government is also likely to impose section 144 in order to protect cotton cultivation area A detailed examination of the total figures revealed that the largest cotton producing province — Punjab recorded a shortfall of 9.34pc at 6.592 million bales as of Mar 1, 2019 whereas Sindh registered a fall of 2.45pc at 4.149m bales.

The only organic cotton producing province of the country, Balochistan also reported 0.99pc shortfall in production at 117,852 bales.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2019