Achieving production target of 18m cotton bales

ISLAMABAD: In order to achieve production target of 18 million cotton bales by 2015, the government plans to bring more areas under cotton cultivation particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and control Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV) attack in Punjab, sources told Daily Times on Saturday.
Having considered various options for production enhancement, it is realised that a production level of 18 million bales could be achieved by 2015 with a modest increase in sowing areas in potential cotton growing areas of Balochistan and NWFP coupled with an average 5% growth in per hectare yield.
Sources in the Ministry of Food and Agriculture said that cotton crop could be increased in three factors. First, 30 to 50 percent increase in cotton crop will be possible due to better crop management/practicing. Secondly, 40 to 60 percent crop of the commodity is to be increased due to application of new cotton varieties particularly Bt Cotton. Lastly, 3 to 10 percent cotton crop will be increased due to increase in bringing more areas under cotton cultivation.
The plan titled “Cotton Vision 2015 Targets” has been initiated after taking into account the future prospects for a sustained growth in cotton sector and the possible improvement in the quality of raw cotton. The plan has been designed to achieve higher production of
clean cotton to obtain advantages of assured supply of cleaner, uniform, graded and contamination free cotton to the domestic textile industry.
It will be helpful to get higher recovery rate, hence more yarn, improved reputation of Pakistan’s cotton and its products in the world market and substantial additional foreign exchange would be earned through better unit values.
The sources further said that cotton alone contributes nearly 65 percent of the foreign exchange earnings of Pakistan and the Bt cotton varieties (IR 3701 and IR 1524) developed by Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission’s (PAEC) Biotech Centre, NIBGE hopefully would help in achieving Cotton Vision 2015 of government — to boost production to 18 million bales by 2015.
Officials in the Ministry of Food and Agriculture said that if the government succeeded to bring cotton yields in Punjab as par with Sindh, target of Cotton Vision 2015 would be achieved easily.
Currently, yield in Sindh was recorded as 1320 kg/ha while in Punjab it was 590 kg/ha. Punjab cultivated cotton crop over an areas of 2.13 million hectors while Sindh over 0.45 million hectors. During the year 2010-11, Punjab produced 7.38 million bales while Sindh produced 3.50 million bales.
In Punjab the cotton crop mainly affected by the disease CLCV.
Usually, the CLCV attacks occurred in different ranges — started from around 15 percent to 70 percent in cotton belt in Punjab’s major cotton growing areas, which always badly affected the crop.
Last year, the incidence of CLCV was 15% while last year it affected about 70 percent crop, which resulted in lower production of crop. According to the official data, the incidence of the CLCV has been grouped into low, medium and high level. The 90-100 CLCV affected areas were Vehari, T.T. Shujabad, Shorkot, Pakpatten, Muzafargarh, Multan, Mailsi, Kot Addu, Kamalia, Jatoi, Jalalpur Pirwala, Gojra, Burewala, Bahawalnagar, Arifwala and Alipur.
The 70-90 affected areas of Punjab are Chishtian, Jhang, Dunyapur, Karor Lal Easan, Khanewal, Jhanaia, Bahalpur, Lodhran, Layyah, Ahmadpur East etc. While 50-70 CLCV affected areas in Punjab are Karor Pacca, Depapur, Minchanabad, Kabirwala, Khanpur, Chichawatni, Fortabas, DG Khan, Okara etc.
According to the government policy about 35 percent of certified seed of non-Bt varieties were available while Bt seed provided by private sector. Punjab seed council has approved 8 Bt and one hybrid for cultivation of cottonseeds and the government tried its level best to ensure input availability and vigilance on adulteration. The government eagerly trying its best to bring new areas in KPK and Balochistan under cotton crops, the sources maintained.

(Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\01\23\story_23-1-2011_pg5_1)