After inflicting a loss of Rs 125 billion to the cotton growers of Punjab last year, the dreaded pink bollworm has reemerged as a major threat for the cotton crop this year, an official source at the ministry of textiles said.
“The pink bollworm invasion was limited to Punjab last year but we have received some reports from research institutions that the insect has spread to Sindh due to favourable weather. If timely measures are not taken, the insect can play havoc with this year’s cotton crop,” the source added.
According to official reports, pink bollworm alone was responsible for whipping out an estimated five million bales of cotton, Rs 125 billion in monetary terms, from the country’s annual production of cotton.
Pakistan’s cotton production hovered around 14 million bales per annum but last year it fell to 9 million bales, he said.
If the provincial government agencies failed to inform the growers before cotton sowing season about the precautionary measures, the crop would be doomed, the source said. Once born, the insect was difficult to be eradicated as it escaped deadly pesticide spray by taking refuge in the bud. He added.
About the prevention, the source said, the most effective were the introduction of second and third generation bio-tech seed varieties. However, in the absence of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in agriculture sector, multinationals were reluctant to launch insect resistant varieties in Pakistan, they added.
India adopted IPRs that helped her introduce BT cotton varieties. Her cotton production jumped from 14 million bales to over 24 million bales in a few years. This has also helped increase the efficiency of Indian textile industry.
Pakistan’s textile industry consumes 15 million bales of cotton per annum. This year’s decline in production was bridged through Indian imports. However, if cotton production declined in India this year, it would bring the local textile industry to a grinding halt, the source said.
