LAHORE - All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Chairman Syed Ali Ahsan and Patron-in-Chief Gohar Ejaz have appreciated Prime Minister Imran Khan for his initiative to achieve 15 million cotton bales target by next year. Chairman APTMA said cotton is a major raw material for producing textile goods, predominantly meant for exports. Unfortunately, he added, the cotton production has declined by 27 percent, 17 percent drop in area under cultivation and 12 percent decrease in per acre yield, since 2014-15. Therefore, the industry had no other option but to import to import cotton for industry consumption, which pushed the cotton import to 3.59 million bales, worth $1.22 billion, last year. According to Gohar Ejaz, the government should ensure low cost of inputs to the cotton farmers, implement the law relating to zoning system to regain cotton area, provide both quality cotton seed and extension services to the cotton farmers for best crop management and extension without any further delay. The regulatory regime should also be put in place for the quality seed production and elimination of pest adulteration for effective pest management, he added.
He also stressed that the cotton research institutes should be revamped to achieve targets set for growth in cotton productivity, both horizontally and vertically.
He further pointed out that initiatives for the revival of the industry, particularly in Punjab, are also dependent on sufficient raw material, including cotton and Polyester Staple Fibre, at internationally competitive price.
Gohar said the achieving of $26 billion textile exports, 15 million bales of cotton production, revival of $4 billion closed potential, job creation and further investment in textile sector are all subject to a successful and fast track implementation of prime minister's initiatives.