MULTAN, May 8: National Assembly's former speaker Syed Fakhar Imam has urged the government to immediately announce its cotton policy for the year 2004-5.

"It is the most appropriate time to annunciate the policy because cotton sowing is in full swing in the plains of Sindh and south Punjab," he told Dawn on Saturday.

The government had so far failed to even outline its policy about cotton. After many years the cotton growers received an adequate price against their produce last year as the international prices of lint cotton had gone up to 82 cents per pound.

But at the same time, the growers also incurred losses because of the outbreak of American and Army bollworms in the cotton fields from the second week of September last that affected the late boll formation on the plants.

"The situation had worsened because of the shortage of suitable pesticides at the high time of their demand," Mr Imam recalled.

This time the government must ensure availability of quality pesticides ahead of time both for bollworms and sucking pests so that a situation identical to that of last year's should not happen again.

The government should also ensure that awareness campaign and the recommendations of the pesticides by the extension wing of the agriculture department about pest problem should be transparent, fair and neutral.

"It should not be tilted towards the interest of few pesticides businessmen," he added.

He said timely announcement of the cotton policy would have a positive impact on the growers' strategy about the crop and they might not be double-minded like the wheat growers as to whom they should sell their produce and at which price.

Mr Imam said the government should clearly come out with the exact estimate of the demand of domestic spinning and textile industry and the likely production of cotton within the country to avoid any confusion during the season that distort the market to the favour of manipulators.