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MULTAN, Sept 29: Pakistan may face a shortfall in overall cotton production this year.
This was stated by former National Assembly speaker Syed Fakhr Imam in a press statement here on Friday.
He said curl leaf virus and mili bug attacks had badly affected cotton crop in Multan, Khanewal, Vehari and Lodhran which were major contributors to the overall cotton production. In view of the situation, he said it was extremely difficult for the country to achieve the production target of 13.8 million bales for 2006-07.
He said thousands of cotton growers in the affected areas were facing financial hardships, adding the government should immediately give them a relief. He said that the government should hold a survey of the affected areas so that the growers could be compensated, He also sought 50 per cent inputs for wheat crop for the affected growers through banks. He said that agricultural research scientists had failed to evolve virus resistant varieties. The government should take measures to help scientists evolve such varieties so that the crop could be saved.
Mr Imam said BT varieties should be introduced and promoted in Pakistan. He said these varieties were pest resistant and they also yielded good returns, adding Australia, America, India and China were already growing these.
He suggested that the government should introduce crop insurance for cotton next year.
SOOMRO: Acting president Mohammadmian Soomro has urged farmers to adopt mechanised and corporate farming to help the government end poverty and unemployment.
Addressing a gathering in Tibba Sultanpur (Vehari) on Friday, he said the government was making efforts to meet the challenges of poverty and unemployment but it also needed support from all sections of society.
He said investment-friendly atmosphere and improved infrastructure had helped the country double its exports.
Mr Soomro said agriculture was the backbone of the country’s economy and the government was committed to making all possible efforts to improve this sector. He said the farmers needed a country-wide platform to not only voice their demands but also for their acceptance. He said they could solve a host of problems from such a platform without any external help and support. Later, he visited a model farm in Tibba Sultanpur.
