ISLAMABAD, June 25: Efforts are underway to establish fibre testing laboratories equipped with high volume instrument throughout the cotton belt in order to facilitate the private sector in instrumental valuation of cotton.

"Being fully alive to the future cotton marketing requirements the government has been giving emphasis on the necessary administrative, operational and marketing arrangements in order to ensure the implementation of cotton standardization and grading programme that would also help produce contamination-free cotton," said Cotton Commissioner Dr Qadir Bux Baloch while talking to APP here on Friday.

He said the government had taken necessary steps on its part, matching the spirit of the Cotton Standardization Ordinance and Minfal was in constant touch with the provincial agriculture department and the private sector to implement the system at the grass-roots level.

"It may not be out of place to mention here that Pakistan's image as supplier of course yarn such as 20/1 and 30/1, low quality and low cost fabrics for underlining is rapidly changing into a reliable source of top quality textile from home furnishing to garments," he added.

As a matter of fact, he says, the whole of production, processing, marketing and trade of cotton lies with the private sector which is also required to meet certain obligations to implement the provisions of the Cotton Standardization Ordinance.-APP