KARACHI, Sept 7: The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has activated all its cotton procurement centres in Sindh and Punjab to buy around 100,000 bales of 2004-05 season.

The government has asked the TCP to intervene, if necessary, to ensure that the grower get minimum support price of Rs925 per 40 kg for seed cotton (phutti). The corporation would buy cotton of Grade-III with 1-1/32" staple length and micronaire range of 3.8 to 4.9 NCL, in export packing.

The TCP has already activated its cotton procurement centres in Mirpurkhas and Nawabshah from August 15 this year, while the remaining 10 centres, eight in Punjab and one each at Sukkur and Dera Allahyar (Balochistan) have also been activated from Tuesday. These centres have been equipped with necessary staff, PCSI classers, latest grade boxes, micronaire machines, moisture meters, etc.