Despite damage to the cotton crop owing to rains, the production of cotton can easily cater to the needs of the industry. The government should evolve an energy policy for all sectors, as in this way we can save our industry and generate employment for the people. These views were expressed by All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Central Chairman Gohar Ejaz during a press conference here on Tuesday at APTMA House.
He said a number of news items appearing in the national press mention that 70 per cent of cotton crop has been damaged and huge area of cotton crop has been destroyed due to floods and rains. He said people who are not concerned or associated with the cotton crop or textile industry are giving irrelevant statements. According to him the entire world is conscious about cotton production in Pakistan. He exclaimed that before August 15th it was estimated that cotton production in country would remain 16 to 17 million bales.
“APTMA has collected information from the entire country and according to our estimates only 1.5 million bales have been damaged thus the loss is not catastrophic since the affected cotton crop is not more than 10 per cent of total production,” he said adding there has been damage to the crop in Badin and Hyderabad areas but the extent of the damage is yet to be ascertained. “We cannot say that recent rains have destroyed cotton on a large scale,” Gohar Ejaz said adding that next week is very important in this regard and a report would come by next Monday about the exact extent of damage. He was of the view that there would be enough cotton available for the industry and there was scope for surplus production of cotton.
While speaking about the energy available to the industry, Gohar Ejaz said that the government should make a clear energy policy. He said that there was a need to sit together for evolving a plan for the winters. According to Ejaz while it is easy to terminate gas supply to the industrial sector but whether we afford this option is the real question. Ejaz opined that around 60 million people are directly or indirectly associated with the textile sector and it contributed to generating exports worth $14 billion in the previous year therefore it was not feasible for the industry to be closed. According to him, last year the textile sector was provided gas for five days a week and it gave good results therefore they would request the government to provide the industry with un-interrupted gas for seven days a week this year. He said that the government should set priorities for the consumption of gas and suggested that domestic users should have separate tariff. Separate tariff for domestic users would ensure that the usage of gas decreases and this additional gas can be used for productivity. “Price is the best way to manage consumption,” he said adding textile industry should be given priority.
He urged the government for completing gas pipeline projects on war footings and said that the government should rethink the policy of buying LNG directly from the suppliers. “We would suggest that the government should take it and then give it to the users, as it is not possible for them to buy such expensive gas,” he suggested. He also appraised the government for passing the Gas Theft Act and said that it would stop gas theft. “In the past there has been no action on gas theft but now things would improve,” he said. Gohar Ejaz lauded the efforts of Dr Asim Hussain for taking special interest in Annual Turn Around (ATA) of Qadirpur Gas Fields and supplying gas to the industries and hoped that he would give gas for seven days to the textile sector. He also urged the government for improving law and order situation in the country and condemned the attack on an industrialist Khalid Iqbal in Karachi. Gohar Ejaz said that the government should also reduce interest rate for the industries, as at the current rate it is not viable for the businessmen to do business. APTMA Punjab Chairman Ahsan basheer demanded the government for giving textile industry top priority in the distribution of gas.
