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• PM’s committee proposes development of heat- and drought-tolerant varieties, tax parity for imported/domestic cotton, support for modernisation of gins and mills
• Calls for investing in water-saving irrigation systems in Balochistan and Cholistan
ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister’s Committee on Cotton has proposed to declare district Khanewal to lower Sindh and Balochistan as cotton crop areas where cotton production should be prioritised and incentivised.
While suggesting to expand cotton cultivation in Balochistan and Cholistan, the committee, in its draft recommendations, suggests implementation of zoning to protect core cotton areas, and promoting organic cotton in the province.
Dedicated seed production centres should be developed in Balochistan to ensure a steady supply of quality seed, while investment was needed in water-saving irrigation infrastructure in Balochistan and Cholistan.
Calling for immediate policy reforms, the committee recommends rapid seed and technology interventions by developing heat and drought tolerant varieties, introduction of tax parity between domestic and imported cotton, provision of soft plans for upgrading roller gin technology and struggling spinning mills.
It also suggested the government to develop price stability mechanism and enforce cotton grading standards. A five-year policy framework preventing sudden tax or tariff changes should be implemented and special economic zones should also be established for cotton processing and value addition, the committee proposed.
Suggesting a strategy and action plan, it proposed that the cotton production window should be advanced by 45 to 60 days with short-duration crops that terminate by February. It also calls for enhancing wheat productivity to allow area reduction, and fostering public-private partnerships to fast-track the adoption of biotechnology tools.
The committee emphasises the development of next-generation genetically modified (GM) cotton varieties with stacked traits for heat tolerance and resistance to the cotton leaf curl virus. It calls for strengthening research and extension services to encourage local product development for addressing local challenges.
Under long-term reforms, the committee, which will submit its recommendations to the prime minister, suggests developing traceability framework for tracking cotton production, processing and export as well as compliance with global sustainability standards.
A report of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations says a growing number of Balochistan’s cotton farmers are transitioning to organic production, motivated by the higher prices offered for organic certified fibre. Balochistan’s main cotton-producing districts are Lasbela, Khuzdar and Kharan. Climatic stresses and extensive use of pesticides and fertilisers are affecting cotton production in the province.
The committee is of the view that the government should establish cotton price support mechanism, and announce minimum support price of Rs9000 per 40kg and strengthen the role of Trading Corporation of Pakistan in price stabilisation.
Cotton production dropped from 14 to 7.1m bales over the past eleven seasons as there is no comprehensive policy in place. Key issues are low farmer profitability compared to sugarcane, rice and maize; combination with wheat delays production cycle, exposing cotton to extreme temperatures and monsoon which favour pest and disease development.
Minister chairs meeting
Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain chaired a meeting in Islamabad on Friday to review and accelerate efforts for increasing cotton yield across the country. The meeting brought together senior officials of the ministry, representatives from provincial agriculture departments, research experts, and key stakeholders from the cotton-growing regions.
He said that cotton is a vital crop for Pakistan’s agriculture sector and the backbone of the country’s textile industry.
He expressed concern over the decline in cotton productivity in recent years and emphasised the need for a coordinated and targeted strategy to address the structural challenges facing the crop.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reviving cotton production through farmer-focused interventions, research-driven solutions, and improved service delivery in the agriculture sector.
Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2025
