Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: Cotton Advisor of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Javed Hassan on Tuesday said that Pakistan wanted to enhance cooperation with China on high-yield and climate-resilient cotton varieties.
In an interview with China Economic Net, he said that in the past 10 years, Pakistan has lost half of the yield and production of cotton. This year, we will produce 5.5 billion bales but half of the textile demand relied on imports.
China leads cotton industry
He said that China is leading in the cotton yield per hectare which produces nearly 1,844 kg per hectare. Pakistan produces only 467 kg per hectare. Therefore, we are interested to fulfill our needs with imports from China.
He also suggested that Pakistan should send local high varieties to China, so their institutions could convert them with GM technology, which will benefit Pakistan in terms of getting more yield.
Therefore, he suggests that Pakistan send local highly productive varieties to China, so their institutions can convert them with GM technology, and then Pakistan can bring it back and get more yield.
The advisor further said that in Pakistan, about 70 to 80 percent of seeds provided to cotton producers are not certified. But in China, there is a 100 percent certified system. Pakistan needed to develop its certification system to increase cotton production like China.
