ISLAMABAD: The Cotton Crop Assessment Committee (CCAC) projected cotton production in the country at 13.3 million bales against the initial estimate of 14.6 million bales for the current season 2012-13.
However Pakistan Cotton Ginner Association (PCGA) rejected the CCAC projected estimate and termed it exaggeration.
Third meeting of the CCAC held under Makhdoom Shahabuddin Federal Minister for Textile Industry assessed the volume of current cotton crop in the country. Challenges faced by the cotton crop especially low availability of irrigation water during sowing season, high input prices and rain and flood damage to cotton crop were discussed in the meeting.
In its last meeting, the CCAC upwardly revised the projected cotton production to 13.3 million bales against the 12.66 million bales projected in the preceding month. It is less than the initial estimate of 14.6 million bales for the current season 2012-13.The projected estimate is also less than the preceding year output (13.59 million bales).
A member representing all Pakistan Textile Mills Association was of the opinion the assessment was very realistic and the ground realities were very close to this forecast.
Mahesh Kumar Chairman Pakistan Cotton Ginners association said cotton crop season was closing but the CCAC upward revised the estimate in its last meeting. Cotton production for the current season would be close to 13 million bales, Kumar added.
Secretary Ministry of Textile said cotton crop size was assessed on the basis of data provided by provincial governments, yield parameters of cotton and arrival pattern. Secretary urged the PCGA and other stakeholders to standardise the weight of bales at 170 kilogrammes.
Cotton Commissioner Dr Khalid Abdullah said according to the projection, Punjab would produce 9.59 million bales cotton, Sindh would produce 3.6 million bales, Balochistan would produce 0.094 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would produce 0.006 million bales in the current season.
He said cotton crop was sown on the area of 0.58 million hectares in Sindh and 2.356 million hectares in Punjab. Moreover this year cotton crop was planted on 7 percent and 12 percent less than that of last year in Punjab and Sindh provinces respectively.
Cotton production target :
Punjab 9.59m bales
Sindh 3.6m bales
Balochistan 0.094m bales
KP 0.006m bales
Total 13.29m bales