ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research here on Thursday was informed that domestic cotton sowing was reduced by 15.87 per cent as compared to last year.
The committee which met here with Senator Syed Muzafar Hussain Shah was also informed that Sindh province has achieved 96 percent of sowing targets set for the current sowing season.
Briefing the committee, Cotton Commissioner, Dr Khalid Abdullah said that in Punajb cotton crop has been sown over 1.77 million hectares, which was 77 per cent of the sowing targets of the current season.
However, he said that crop was in good position as no major pest attack was reported from the field formations in Sindh and Punjab, adding that pesticides availability was also better.
It was informed that seed cotton prices remained between Rs. 3,300 to Rs. 3,400 per maund in Sindh and Rs. 3,200 to Rs.3,400 in Punjab, where as lint prices was also recorded at par with international prices and remained at Rs. 6,600 to Rs. 6,700 per maund in Sindh.
The lint price was recorded at Rs. 6,700 to Rs. 7,00, per maund adding that due better seed cotton prices farmers interest in management is higher than last year, he added.
It was also informed that crop production targets were set at 14.101 million bales by cultivating the crop over 3.009 million hectares to fulfill the domestic requirements as well as to export.
The senior official of the State Bank of Pakistan and Zarai Tarqiati Bank Limited informed the committee about agri-credit disbursement positions and recovery. The SBP informed the committee that 100 per cent targets of agri-credit disbursement was achieved as Rs. 600 million credit allocated for the financial year ending on June 30, 2016.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of the Committee directed the officials of ZTBL to take on board the Senators of their respective zones to minimize the role of middle-men in agriculture credit disbursement to facilitate the grass-root level growers. He said that the Committee had also heard the complaints of victimization of 41 employees of Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Services Corporation by its Managing Director.
As the matter, he said was in Lahore High Court and the Court has also fixed the case for hearing and hence it was sub-judice matter to make any comment on it.
However, he said after decision of the court, if the complainant again come in the committee for any assistance they are welcome. Besides, Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, Senators, Muhammad Zafarullah Khan Dhandla and senior officis of the Ministry of National Food Security attended the meeting.
