PM approves PCCC restructuring for strengthening research

ISLAMABAD: Aiming to strengthen research in the cotton sector, the federal government decided on Tuesday to give autonomy to the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) through its restructuring and effective private sector representation.

The decision was taken during a high-level meeting presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan here regarding the revival of cotton.

After the restructuring, the PCCC would consist of senior representatives of the ministries of the National Food Security and Textile, cotton commissioners, provincial secretaries for agriculture, four representatives of textile sector, two representatives of cotton ginners, representatives of cotton traders, two representatives of seed producers, four representatives of farmers, one expert and the chief executive.

The meeting was given a detailed briefing on the current situation of cotton in the country, challenges faced by the cotton sector, problems about the production cost, matters relating to the research institution and seed sector, and a future strategy to save the cotton crop from the challenges of insecticides such as white fly and pink boll worm.

The meeting decided to bring in reforms in the seed sector and make the process of seeds’ approval easy and faster. It also approved the strategy to control the insecticides which hurt the cotton crop.

In order to make the PCCC an effective institution, the government and APTMA reached a complete agreement on the issue of Cotton Cess, ensuring the provision of required financial resources to the committee.

The government also decided to establish a Research Endow Fund for the PCCC.

The meeting approved a timelines based roadmap and all other measures for improvement in the research sector, including amendment in the Cotton Cess Act 1923, removing the shortage of skilled manpower and establishing Research Endowment.

In order to introduce transgenic technology, the meeting also decided to form a high-level Cotton Technology Steering Committee. In that regard an Executive Committee led by the Secretary National Food Security would present its recommendations to the prime minister.

For the resolution of issues among the federal and provincial governments pertaining to seeds, the meeting decided to establish a committee comprising representatives of the federal and provincial governments. The committee was tasked to resolve all matters till March 31.

The meeting also gave its nod to a mechanism for fast and easy approval of seed varieties. It approved essential measures regarding the cotton season 2020.

For the assessment of indicative cotton price, the meeting decided to establish a committee comprising the secretaries of the National Food Security, Finance, Commerce and Textile, and other private sector stakeholders (APTMA, ginners and farmers), which would present its recommendations before the start of cotton season 2020.

The representatives of APTMA, Kissan Ittehad, seed sector and other relevant people expressed their complete satisfaction over the approval of roadmap for the revival of cotton sector and assured their full support for the government’s efforts.

The prime minister expressed his satisfaction over the agreement among all the stakeholders for the revival of cotton and utilization of the country’s full potential and capacity, saying the revival of cotton would benefit the growers and textile sector, which in turn would bring in economic improvement in the country.

The prime minister said the objective of government’s National Agriculture Emergency Programme was to ensure the promotion of technology and enhance productivity by addressing the challenges faced by agriculture sector.