FAISALABAD, Jan 21: Amid heated debate and controversy, the special Crop Assessment Committee on cotton estimated 10.4 million bales this year.

The CAC meeting was held here at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) on Monday with adviser to the chief executive on food and agriculture Shafi Niaz in the chair.

A heated debate was witnessed on the final assessment of the cotton crop and representatives of APTMA, ginners, farmers and even the functionaries of the agriculture department were disagreeing with each other over the issue.

The representatives of the farming community were of the view that figures were over estimated just to please the APTMA for keeping the prices low. While the APTMA and other members of the committee were of the view that 10 to 15 per cent cotton had already been lying with the farmers due to low price.

It was also discussed that the prices of cotton in the world market were low due to which the Pakistani cotton prices were also low. The farmers expressed their concern and claimed that APTMA was importing cotton from Australia which was not better in quality than that of the local cotton.

APTMA claimed that foreign buyers were asking for quality of special yarn prepared by Australian cotton. Therefore, APTMA had to import cotton from Australia which has a long staple, which is not being produced in Pakistan.

However, some members disputed this claim and contended that cotton produced in Rahim Yar Khan was of good quality and contamination-free.

The committee will meet on Feb 18 at Lahore.