Multan: It is a national tragedy that our agriculture collapsed and cotton production fell to the level of merely five million from 15 million, How can survive the ginning industry under these circumstances ,asked Dr. Jassu Mal Chairman of Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) while addressing a press conference here today alongwith other office bearers like , the group Chairman Haji Muhammad Akram, Chairman National Task Force for Agriculture Sham Lal Mangalani, Former Chairman Chaudhry Waheed Arshad, Sohail Mehmood Haral, Chaudhry Khalid Bashir, Vinesh Kumar and Yasir Iqbal.
Dr. Jassu Mal asked why the Government wanted to kill the ginners by imposing more than 100 % taxes who cannot survive with low production of cotton. He said that the region of South Punjab was known across the world for producing the best cotton.
Today, more than 75% of the ginning factories in South Punjab are closed during the cotton season. Cotton which is called white gold is the country's economy. It is the backbone which is being irreparably damaged under a conspiracy and plotting.
The battle for the revival and survival of cotton will have to be fought. The agriculture-based economy has been brought to the brink of collapse. Cotton crop white. Gold. Bad planning that the country is deprived of the fruits of white gold. 70 percent of the country's rural population is employed in agriculture.
Chairman PCGA said that it is our national misfortune that the various stages of cotton produced in the country. But there is a burden of taxes which in total is more than 100% while there is no tax on the import of cotton and yarn.
The burden of taxes is to be transferred directly to the farmers, leaving the farmer's back broken. Chairman PCGA Dr. Jassu Mal said that Banks are providing loans to farmers as well as ginners at 30 percent interest rate plus spread, while loans to industry are being given at 14 percent.
The loans given to farmers are consumed by middlemen. In 2006, the production of cotton in Pakistan was 14 million bales. Whereas in India there was one million bales of cotton produced.
Today, the production of cotton in Pakistan is 50 to 55 million bales while India has three million bales of cotton. Cotton is the identity and recognition of Pakistan which we are slowly losing due to poor planning and conspiracies.
Federal ministers do not even know whether cotton is a plant or a tree. Sitting in the drawing room due to climate change. Those crying about the decline in cotton crop have no knowledge of the ground realities.
The ginning industry is actually a processing industry which is burdened by heavy taxes. Research institutes and universities are limited to books instead of research and research. Lack of exposure to modern technology is also a big tragedy.
There is no cotton planning in the country. Non-implementation of the Cotton Control Act is the main reason for the decline and destruction of cotton production. Regarding cotton production in southern Punjab.
Only 200 out of 850 ginning factories are operational in the world-famous region due to poor government planning and lack of confidence among farmers. A major source of employment for the population. Happiness, sadness, marriage, employment and prosperity all depend on a good crop of cotton. Cotton is also a major source of animal feed and fuel.
Decline in cotton production is a major economic blow for rural women. Cotton crop is a major source of employment for women. It is wrong to attribute the decline in cotton production to climate change and climate variability. Cotton farmers and other stakeholders 18% sales tax on cotton lint, 18% sales tax on benola, 18% sales tax on oil binola, 14% sales tax on Oil-cake( khal), 18% sales tax on fertilizer, farmers and generalists. Sohan has become a soul.
Doing business in these conditions has become not only difficult but also impossible. He described the meeting with Federal Ministers Jam Kamal Khan and Rana Tanveer Hussain as pleasant and said that it is hoped that the government will solve our problems and difficulties.
PCGA will soon organize a cotton seminar in Islamabad in which all stakeholders including the government will be invited to participate. The main objective of this seminar is to revive cotton in the country. And the suggestions and recommendations for increasing the production have to be finalized and implemented.
