July 27, 2012

India's Punjab Cotton Control Board approves cotton area, production targets

Targets for cotton area 6.2 million acres, production of 10.5 million bales and average yield of cotton per acre 23.17 munds for 2012-13 has been approved by India's Punjab Cotton Control Board (PCCB) on Tuesday (July 24).

Punjab Agriculture Secretary Mushtaq Ahmad, Agriculture (Extension) DG Anjum Ali, Noor Ul Islam Agriculture (Research) DG Noor-ul-Islam, Agricultural Information Director Rafique Akhtar, Cotton Commissioner Khalid Abdullah and other members attended the meeting.

Agriculture (Extension) DG Anjum Ali told the meeting that cotton had been sown on an area of 5.926 million acres which was 5.34% less as compared to the last year's area of cotton 6.261 million acres.

He further told that according to crop reporting services production of cotton for last year was 11.129 million bales (170 kilogramme bale), while PCGA reported 12.132 million bales in Punjab. It was also told that for bringing 6.2 million acres of area under cotton crop, the seed requirement was calculated as 62,000 tonnes for Punjab and PSC has been directed to take all necessary measures in providing certified cotton seed of approved varieties to farmers well in time in the coming cotton season. PCCB reviewed and recommended revised cotton ginning/ licence fees to increase from existing INR4,000 (US$72) to INR6,000 (US$108) and INR5,000 (US$90) to INR7,500 (US$135) for four and five sawgin machine unites respectively.

Secretary Agriculture Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad has directed Agriculture (Ext.) DG to take steps in implementation of Punjab Cotton Control Ordinance 1966 and make sure cotton bale weight of 170 kilogrammes. Board also recommended constituting a committee to review terms and conditions for new cotton ginning, pressing and cotton oil seed factories and present its recommendations in the next meeting for approval from the PCCB.