Pakistan cotton ginning industry needs to be modernized to earn GSP benefits

Pakistan plans to implement modern technology in cotton ginning industry to meet the requirements of buyers at the global market. According to the Governor Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar there is a need to replace old machinery in ginning factory to get good results. Ginning industry would be modernised to bring it at par with world standards so that they can earn the benefits of GSP-plus status which may increase our export by $1 billion.

Addressing the delegation of Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) headed by Mukhtar Ahmed Khan Baloch and other members, Governor Punjab said that the government had imposed ban on the imported cotton seed. But, this issue would be taken up at provincial as well as federal level and they would ensure the smooth supply of well-germinated certified seed to growers to get better per acre yield.
The cotton growers, ginners, spinners, weavers, textile millers, brokers, seed dealers, secretaries of Commerce, textile, finance and agriculture of federal as well provincial government would be invited for” Dialogue” to evolve a strategy to improve the quality of cotton lint up to world standards to earn maximum foreign exchange and to finalize the cotton policy.

The government has outlined six medium-term economic targets, under which GDP growth would be raised to around 6-7 percent in the next three years. Under these targets, they aim to raise GDP growth to around 6-7 percent, investment-to-GDP ratio from 12.6 percent to 20 percent, tax-to-GDP ratio from 8.5 percent to 13 percent.

Governor Punjab would be meeting the representatives of International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) and multi-national seed companies to remove their reservations regarding the cotton seed and would also meet the office-bearers of American Cotton Association.

The delegation urged that the Pakistan Cotton control ordinance and Cotton control rules be updated with the consent of PCGA and also apprised the Governor Punjab over the problems confronted by the ginners. The polluted and trash cotton was a main problem because there is no mechanism of standardisation, classification and grading of cotton.