MULTAN, Sept 22: The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association has urged the government to defer the ban on the use of jute bags for cotton seed (phutti) transportation from farms to ginneries for at least one year.

In a statement issued here, PCGA vice-chairman Sheikh Farooq Ahmed claimed the cotton control act had some ambiguities which should be clarified before its implementation.

He said the PCGA had held talks with the provincial agriculture minister on several occasions on the subject besides giving presentations on various forums about their apprehensions on the act, but to no avail.

Mr Ahmed demanded the abolition of discretionary powers of the cotton inspectors entrusted upon them through the cotton control act. The ginners, he warned, would take steps in the ‘right direction’ if the inspectors adopted unjust and indecent behaviour while inspecting ginneries.

Since the country had a poor infrastructure of farm-to-market roads it was not possible to carry cotton seed in open trolleys through narrow and dilapidated roads and dirt tracks.

Therefore, the PCGA had demanded permission to use jute bags/clothes to carry cotton seed from farms to ginneries, he added.