Sindh Urges Center for Higher Support Price of Cotton
Published on: April 23, 2024.
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In an effort to combat the decline in cotton cultivation, the Sindh government has urged the federal government to raise the support price of cotton. The Agriculture Minister, Sardar Muhammad Bux Mahar, has requested an increase from Rs10,000 to Rs11,000 per 40kg. The decline in cotton cultivation in the province by 20% has prompted this call for action.
The current target for cotton cultivation in Sindh this year is 640,000 hectares. However, due to the rising costs of fertilizers, seeds, petroleum products, and agricultural medicines, farmers have been deterred from cultivating cotton. These increased expenses have made it difficult for farmers to sustain cotton cultivation.
To address this issue and encourage farmers to grow more cotton, Minister Sardar Mahar emphasizes the importance of increasing the support price. He highlights that if farmers did not receive a fair price for cotton in the previous season, they will be discouraged from undertaking cultivation this year.
The minister also raises concerns about the shortage of water allocated to Sindh at the beginning of the cropping season. Insufficient water supply could lead to reduced cultivation of agricultural crops such as cotton and rice. Sardar Mahar criticizes the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) for implementing the three-tier formula in water distribution, which he believes is unfair to the farmers of Sindh. He fears that this approach may result in turning the agricultural lands of the province barren, causing irreparable losses during the cropping season for crops like cotton, rice, and sugarcane.
It is imperative for the federal government to address these challenges and take necessary measures to support cotton cultivation in Sindh. By increasing the support price of cotton and ensuring a fair allocation of water resources, farmers will be incentivized to continue or expand cotton cultivation. This is crucial for sustaining the cotton industry and the livelihoods dependent on it.
Source: [Dawn](https://www.dawn.com){:target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”}
