Sincere Policy Reforms, Quality Seeds Can Revive Cotton Sector: FPCCI Official

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jul, 2025) FPCCI Regional Committee on food Convener Shahid Imran has said that Pakistan can significantly boost cotton production if sincere efforts are made to introduce new high-yield, quality seed varieties, whether hybrid or not, alongside a complete nationwide ban on all non-approved seed types.

Speaking to a delegation of cotton growers from South Punjab led by Mian Zahid Iqbal, here on Sunday, former Vice President of FPCCI, Shahid Imran said Pakistan’s cotton production has witnessed a steep decline, from a peak of 14 million bales a decade ago to just 5.5 million bales in the last crop cycle. This alarming drop has increased reliance on cotton imports to meet the textile sector’s demand, further straining Pakistan’s already limited foreign exchange reserves.

He cited several contributing factors to the cotton crisis, including climate change, substandard seeds, rising input costs, the encroachment of sugarcane into traditional cotton-growing areas, and price instability. However, he emphasized that Pakistan can still reverse the trend through science-backed and farmer-focused policies. “Learning from the success of hybrid rice and maize, many private firms have renewed efforts to introduce hybrid cotton, aiming for higher yields and cost efficiency,” he said.

While acknowledging that past hybrid cotton trials, conducted by both public and private sectors, largely failed due to incompatibility with local climatic conditions, Shahid Imran stressed that previous failures must inform, not obstruct, future innovation. “There is no room for complacency. The cotton sector must be revived through bold and sincere reforms, not held hostage to past shortcomings,” he asserted.

He added that, in response to a request by Shahzad Ali Malik, CEO of Guard Agricultural Research and Services, around 150 acres of land in Punjab and Sindh have recently been planted with hybrid cotton on a trial basis.

Shahid Imran reiterated the need for stringent regulation, calling for a nationwide ban on all unapproved seed varieties to protect the integrity of cotton production and ensure quality control. “If Pakistan is to regain its position in the global cotton market, a coordinated and disciplined national seed policy is indispensable,” he added.