Experts In ICAC Meeting Agree On Legislation To Improve Yield

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 03rd Nov, 2016 ) : Experts in International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) agreed that cotton would continue to be prime contributor in Pakistan's economy and government needs to facilitate to improve yield by carrying out necessary legislation.

Addressing the fifth day of ICAC, 75th Plenary Meeting here on Thursday, the experts said that in legislation, the enactment of Plant Breeders Right Bill by providing support to reduce the cost of doing business would be required.

The first session of the day with the topic "the role of public sector in the cotton industry" was chaired by Secretary, Ministry of food Security and Research, Abid Javed. Cotton Expert, Aamer Shahzad made presentation on Pakistan's policy on cotton and informed that cotton production was 14.2 during year 2004-05 and it was decreased to 10 million bales in 2015-16.

Moreover, he mentioned various Policy instruments such as textiles Policy, Strategic Trade Policy Framework and Vision 2025 along with the organizations to implement the policy. A cotton analyst from USA,Terry Townsend deliberated on the topic of "role of government in the cotton industry." He informed that world cotton mill use which was only 286,000 tons in year during 1950s increased to 27 million tons during 2007- 08, however during next ten years despite increase in world's population the world cotton production reduced by 3 million tons.

He said that countries should stop giving support and subsidies to the polyester. The second session of the day and over all 8th Open Session of the Plenary Meeting was chaired by Director, Research, Development and Advisory Cell of Ministry of Textile Industry, Kanwar M.

Usman on confronting Inter-Fiber Competition. The chair in his opening remarks mentioned that man made fiber is the main threat to cotton as their consumption has now increased to 3 times. Lorena Ruiz from ICAC secretariat mentioned the demand and supply of cotton, cotton yarn and cotton fabric and compared with the manmade fiber based products specially polyester.

She said that China is not only the second largest cotton producer but first largest polyester fiber and polyester filaments. She also mentioned that in finished products the polyester based fiber mix has continuously been increasing.

She said that main reasons for polyester dominance is due to its cheap and as it is manufactured in controlled environment so have better quality and less wastage.