Cotton production target to be fixed at 15 million bales

MULTAN: The government is working to fix a target of 15 million cotton bales in the next crop season 2011-12, Agricul-ture Development Commiss-ioner (ADC) Inayatullah Khan said Thursday
ADC at a three-day meeting of research sub committee of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) urged the agriculture scientists to produce such kind of Bt varieties which not only possess the quality to protect crop against diseases but also survive in water stressed situation and match the qualities country’s textile sector seeks in cotton varieties.
Agriculture scientists from all the research institutions working under the PCCC besides Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and the provincial government’s research institutions attended the meeting and presented results of the experiments conducted on the cotton last year.
He said research on Bt cotton varieties was in progress at CCRI Multan and hoped the institute would soon come up with some good Bt cotton varieties for cultivation. He said agriculture scientists’ research projects should be focused on meeting the needs of the farmers at cheaper cost.
PCCC vice president Mohammad Arshad said CCRI researchers were working hard to produce best cotton varieties and their efforts have contributed significantly in enhancing national cotton production.
He disclosed that comparatively more area was being brought under Bt cotton cultivation in Pakistan this year. He urged the agriculture scientists to convey information to growers on agriculture technology so that they can play a vibrant role in producing exportable surplus for foreign exchange earning.