About 15 million bales of cotton production is expected during the year 2011-12 as the crop outlook is satisfactory and no outbreak of any disease or pest attack has been reported from the field formations so far. However, the availability of urea fertiliser in Punjab was a major hurdle as the prices of the input have increased. It is being sold in the black market at much higher rates than its actual price, said Khalid Abdullah, Cotton Development Commissioner.
Abdullah, who has recently assumed the charge of his duties in the Ministry of Textile Industry after devolution, is mandated with promoting and developing linkages between growers, ginners, industry and international agencies. He said cotton growers crucially require urea fertilisers as the crop is currently passing through the ball-formation stage, adding that inadequate supply of urea will harm the output of the crop.
Giving the reasons of urea shortage in the country, he alleged that the agriculture input is being sold at higher prices by black marketers in Punjab as local manufacturers have reduced fertiliser production. Besides, the government has also imported urea to fulfill the gap, which was schedule to arrive by the end of last month but instead arrived by mid-August. He said the government has provided the required quantity of urea to farmers for rabbi season and there is no question of shortage in the country. Dr Khalid Abdullah informed that the price of cotton in international market has witnessed a declining trend as buyers have so far decided to defer buying. He further informed that all issues of ginners were amicably resolved by addressing their concerns and simplifying procedures of withholding tax. The cotton commissioner said that light rains are beneficial for cotton, but water should not remain stagnant in the field for more than 24 hours to prevent any harm to the crops.
