Government Aims for Significant Increase in Cotton Crop Output by 29% in FY24-25
Published on: May 4, 2024.
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Government Sets 10.8 Million Bales as Cotton Crop Production Target for FY2024-25
ISLAMABAD – The government of Pakistan has set a target of producing 10.8 million bales of cotton for the upcoming season of FY2024-25. This target aims to revive the cotton sector, which has faced challenges in recent years. Cotton is a crucial part of Pakistan’s textile industry but has consistently fallen short of production goals. In FY2023-24, the cotton output reached 8.336 million bales, which was a significant increase compared to the previous year’s production. The floods in 2022 had a severe impact on the cotton supply and production.
Revitalizing Cotton Sector for Economic Prosperity
The Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA), chaired by the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, convened to assess the crop production for the Rabi season and set targets for the upcoming Kharif season 2024/25. The FCA highlighted the need for innovative strategies and reinforced support systems to meet the set target. Cotton plays a crucial role in fueling exports and fostering economic prosperity for Pakistan.
Targets for Key Crops
During the meeting, the FCA set production targets for essential crops for the 2024-25 season. Rice, another critical crop for domestic consumption and export, has been allocated a production target of 8.7 million tons over 3.1 million hectares of land for the upcoming Kharif season. Maize production has been targeted at 9.3 million tons. Sugarcane, a significant cash crop, has a production target of 76.7 million tons over 1.3 million hectares. Minister Hussain emphasized the need for fair pricing mechanisms and timely payments to incentivize sugarcane growers.
Performance of Rabi Crops
The Committee evaluated the performance of Rabi crops for 2023-24. Wheat production reached 29.69 million tons, reflecting a 5.4 percent increase from the previous year. Onion production witnessed a 3.9 percent increase, reaching 1.92 million tons. Tomato production increased by 3.9 percent, reaching 627.47 thousand tons. Potato production exceeded the target by 27.9 percent, reaching 8.1 million tons.
Fertilizer Review Committee Meeting
Following the FCA meeting, Minister Hussain, who is also the Minister for Industries and Production, chaired a meeting of the Fertilizer Review Committee. He recommended importing 200,000 tons of urea fertilizer to stabilize prices and supply during the Kharif season. The final decision on import will be made by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet. The demand for urea fertilizer has risen by 3.6 percent compared to the previous year, with an anticipated demand of 3.44 million metric tons for the upcoming season. To address the shortfall, 0.2 million metric tons will be imported, and the remaining demand will be met through increased local production.
Availability of Agricultural Inputs
Officials noted during the FCA meeting that canal water availability stands at 63.61 million acre-feet (MAF), up from 61.85 MAF last year. All provinces report satisfactory supplies. The Meteorological Department predicts normal to slightly above-normal precipitation, ensuring sufficient water for irrigation and power sectors. The availability of seeds and increased institutional credit allocations for agriculture are also promising signs for the upcoming season.
Source: The News
