MULTAN, May 07: The World Wildlife Fund and Punjab Agriculture Extension Department have inked an agreement to produce quality, best cotton of international standards and joint tasks assigned to WWF and Agriculture Department teams for fieldwork.
This was disclosed at a high level meeting of Punjab agriculture stakeholders here on Monday, the Punjab Agriculture Extension Director General Zafaryab Haider said the province would produce high and best quality of cotton to compete international standards in a joint venture with WWF experts.
Speaking on the occasion Punjab Agriculture Extension Director General Zafaryab Haider said that the department was keenly reviewing hurdles in the way of Best Cotton Initiatives 2017-18 and designing planning to prevent lacunas faced by growers last years to get better results.
The department was spending heavy budgets for the only objective of producing best cotton in collaboration with WWF. The grade 1, 2 and super grade cotton can be produced in the country and all resources would be consumed to achieve targets.
Zarfaryab Haider said that crackdown would be launched on mafia including arthis, buyers and ginners involved in contamination of cotton and all the cotton inspectors directed for taking stern action on contaminating cotton. The cotton growers would be encouraged on producing contamination free cotton. The whole field staff is bound to submit report quarterly with their feedback. A series of trainings has been scheduled for field staff for capacity building.
Briefing the participants WWF Pakistan manager Abubakar said the Punjab Agriculture Department and WWF has inked an agreement to promote Best Cotton Initiatives across the province and contracts have been done with 35000 farmers under Best Cotton Initiatives. He said 70, 000 more cotton growers would bring under BCI this year to ensure best and quality cotton of international standards over 500, 000 acres of lands in the first phase.
Senior officials from Punjab agriculture department including heads were present on the occasion.
