Isa stresses modern technology for cotton packing
By Tariq Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Prince Muhammad Isa Jan Baloch has stressed the need for tilizing modern techniques to enhance cotton production in the country.
Chairing the meeting of Cotton Crop Assessment Committee (CCAC) here, the federal minister said that latest technology should be used in processing and packing the cotton to meet the challenges in international market.
The meeting reviewed the current situation of cotton crop size and itwas noted that 866 ginning factories were operating at this stage of current season as compared to the 612 ginning factories of the corresponding period of last year.
On the basis of feedback provided by the provincial crop reportingservices and other stakeholders, the committee maintained its earlier production estimate of 11.6 million bales including 8.9 million bales inPunjab, 2.6 in Sindh and 0.1 million in NWFP and Balochistan.
The meeting was attended by Shahid Hussain Raja, Additional Secretary, MINFAL, Agricultural Development Commissioner, MINFAL, Dr. Kausar AbdullahMalik, Member Planning Commission, Director General (Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department), Vice President Pakistan CentralCotton Committee, Senior Officers of the Provincial Departments and PCCC.
The private sector was represented by the Chairman, Karachi CottonAssociation and the grower members from the Punjab and Sindh.