MULTAN, Dec 7th: Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) Chairman Haji Muhammad Akram, Ex-Chairmen Shehzad Ali Khan, Masud 'A Majeed and Mahesh Kumar has stated that duty-free import of cotton might be detrimental to country's economy because a huge stock of 1.8 million bales was lying in ginning factories while cotton was still reaching to ginneries from the field and 900 ginning factories are operational in Sindh and Punjab.On the other hand,payments are pending on the part of Textile mills. Talking to media men here on Thursday,they said that a few textile mills owners would get benefit at the cost of millions of growers if Government allowed the duty-free import of cotton.They suggested that Government may grant grant concession in power as well as gas tariff and taxation to compensate them.They reiterated the opposition of the duty-free import of cotton from India or any other country describing it destructive to Pakistani cotton economy. PCGA Leaders said that 1.857 million bales of cotton are lying at ginneries as unsold stock and Textile miller are reluctant to purchase this stock.They said that there was no justification for lifting an 'undeclared' ban on imports of ginned cotton from India or any other country at the cost of local grower, fibre's imports on future incoming shipments via surface or sea is not in the interest of our economy .They stressed the need for continuation of ban on the imports from India on hold through Wahga and Karachi port.They strongly opposed any relaxation in cotton import. "Farmers have also expressed concern over lifting of ban on the import of cotton from India by the government. The growers fear bleak prospects for domestic cotton after the lifting of ban on cotton import and demanded the government ensure procurement of crop from them on reasonable rates.Haji Muhammad Akram Chairman of PCGA urged the government to impose complete ban on cotton imports from India via Wagah Border, as it was detrimental to the interest of cotton growers of the country."The PCGA leaders strongly feel that imports of cotton lint from India via Wagah is detrimental to the interests of the cotton growers and should be immediately stopped." He expressed concern that if the imports of cotton lint continued, it would affect the cotton production in the country during next season, adding that last year cotton production declined 30 percent, so if appropriate measures are not taken, the position would deteriorate and affect the production.He said that the ginneries had sufficient stock of cotton lint available so there was no justification to import the commodity from India. The growers said the government did not fix the support price for cotton, leaving them at the mercy of textile millers, who would procure domestic cotton at their desired rates. The growers said that they were expecting a bumper crop this year and import from India would destroy the local cotton growers. The PCGA leaders expressed concern on the import of cotton from India at this stage when the country has unsold stock of 2 million bales and more than 0.7 million bales are expected during next month.They further said that Ministry of National Food Security & Research has submitted a summary to ministry of Textile industry for the grant of permission for duty-free import of cotton fro India and All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) is flexing its muscles for granting permission forever to import cotton from India and other countries.It was opposing the imposition of possible duty on the import of cotton from Wagha, India. Although the association is often criticised for its rent-seeking attitude.They squarely blamed Aptma for the problems of cotton growers. “Pakistan’s cotton-cultivated area is continuously shrinking because the textile industry is not paying enough to farmers and this is why they are shifting to other crops,” they said. The current development, in which the association and cotton farmers are on two opposite sides, has created problems for the government that has blamed low economic output in fiscal year 2016-17 poor cotton crop.They further said the government is the real wrongdoer because it collects Rs800 million in the form of Cotton Cess for cotton research, but does not spend the amount properly and hence the country is facing perpetual cotton shortages for decades.Pakistan has been left much behind compared to India in developing better seeds. The textile industry says it is the duty of cotton scientists in Pakistan Central Cotton Committee to introduce new varieties of cotton seeds to obtain maximum yield so that our consumption requirement is met by the local cotton.Earlier a meeting of Executive Committee was held whih was chaired by Haji Muhammad Akram it chairman and attended by Senior Vice Chairman Gopal Das, Vice Chairman Mian Javed Tariq, Former Chairmen Dr.Jeso Mal, Haji Muhammad Ibrahim, Masud A Majeed, Amanullah Qureshi,Mukhtar Ahmed Khan Baluch,Suhail Mehmood Haral, Malik Talat Suhail, Mian Mehmood Ahmed ,Ch.Waheed Arshad and Malik Sarfraz Nazim Awan
