MULTAN, Sept 30: The Pakistan Seraiki Party has urged the government to fix minimum phutti price at Rs1,200 per 40kg if it wants to maintain growers’ confidence in the crop.

In a press release, PSP chief Barrister Taj Muhammad Langah expressed his dissatisfaction over the opening rate of phutti in the start of cotton season 2001-2002.

He alleged the textile millers in connivance with the agriculture and commerce ministries’ bureaucracy were looting farmers. “This is like playing with the economy and future of the country,” he said.

He said the Trading Corporation of Pakistan should start procuring cotton henceforth to stabilize phutti price as its belated operation benefited only the ginners. He underlined the need to improve picking practices and urged agriculture department officials to help farming community in improvement of the agronomic practices.