KARACHI, Feb 23: Food, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind on Monday said the government planned to import quality and long staple cottonseed to increase cotton production from the current average of 10 million bales to 15 million bales within next couple of years.

During his visit to the Karachi Cotton Association, the minister said since country's economy was heavily dependent on cotton crop, therefore, it was imperative that all-out efforts should be made to improve and increase cotton production.

However, he said without giving due return and profit to growers it was not possible to have further growth in the production. Similarly, Mr Rind told KCA members, there should be total harmony between the stakeholders in cotton trade because none could survive without others' support and contribution.

The minister said with the WTO around the corner it was imperative that local cotton production should be enhanced to meet the growing demand of the textile industry.

Unfortunately, he said, after producing around 12.8 million bales in 1992, the production declined during the successive year, but thereafter hovered around 10 million bales.

He suggested that grading and standardization of cotton was essential to fetch higher prices for raw cotton, but it was equally important to produce quality textile products for getting higher prices in the world market.

"If we only concentrate on cotton crop the country with its geographical location could cater to the needs of the entire region, including Central Asia, the Middle East and China for textile goods and raw cotton," Mr Rind maintained.

"If we want to achieve higher production we have to focus on research for quality seed, adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and declare more areas in Balochistan for cotton crop."

At present Balochistan is producing the best quality cotton but it is of very small quantity, therefore, there is a need to bring more areas under cotton cultivation in the province, the minister added.

Mr Rind said the country was set to achieve the target of around 10.5 million bales and added there were better figures of the production which would be disclosed at an appropriate time.

Referring to a point raised by KCA chairman Iqbal Omer in his address of welcome, the minister suggested that the KCA should once again take the initiative to discuss the issue of hedge trading in cotton with other stakeholders, particularly with growers who have a lot many apprehensions about it.

He said the ministry would play its part in resolving all issues confronting cotton crop and its trade. e stressed upon the need to produce contamination-free cotton and said that without giving premium price to the growers producing clean cotton the goal could not be achieved.

The minister also narrated his own experience when he was not given better price despite the fact that the ginner who purchased it appreciated the quality.

The minister was of the opinion that by bringing around 7.8 million acres under cotton cultivation in Rabi and Kachi Canals in Balochistan, the country could produce around 0.8 million more cotton bales per annum.