Zero Pick Cotton Data Indicates Good Production, Better Returns For Farming Community

MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Sep, 2021 ) :Crop Reporting Service (CRS) and Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) have collected Zero Pick cotton data for the first time ever and the result made officials believe the silver fiber would return to win its status as one of the best choice for farming community.

Zero pick is the picking of cotton done before the commencement of standard picking season that is expected to begin from Sep 30, an agriculture official said on Thursday.

The Zero Pick showed cotton picked till Sept 1, 2021 was equivalent to well over 500,000 bales in Punjab, or 545,343 bales to be exact, CRS officials informed Secretary Agriculture South Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel in a meeting here the other day.

Officials further stated PCGA had not issued its fortnightly cotton arrival report for Aug. 2020 due to no cotton picking and arrival during that time last year. However, this year, more cotton ginning factories were operational comparatively, they added.

Secretary Agriculture South Punjab said that in time sowing of cotton was ensured this year.

He said that better per acre production of cotton was expected pleading that weather remained favorable, pest pressure remained low and most importantly farmers followed official guidelines including delaying pesticides application and applying plants' extracts spray to reduce pest incidence.

Saqib further stated that cotton demand was on the rise in the international market and prices were going up. Farmers were also getting good return of their production in the country.

He, however, advised farmers to be more careful during next two to three weeks against potential threat of pink bollworm attack on a crop that is showing good on-field production.

He said that incidence of white fly was being reported low.

He advised ginners and oil mills owners to install pheromone traps in their factories and mills for proper monitoring of pink bollworm and ginning waste and trash be disposed of properly there to attract better price for cotton.

He advised CRS officials to collect cotton data at divisional level.

Additional Secretary Task Force Barakullah Khan, PCGA representative Suhail Mahmood Haral, Asif Khalil, Khawaja Muhammad Arshad, besides director cotton Dr, Sagheer Ahmad, CRS officials, Agriculture Information officer Abdul Samad and others were also present.