Cottonseed crisis feared during
Kharif
By Shaukat Ali Bhambhro
SEED is the most important of all agricultural inputs
affecting the efficiency of other factors in farming.
Accordingly, the importance of genetically pure and
certified seed cannot be underestimated. Keeping this fact
in view the provincial government established the Sindh Seed
Corporation (SSC) in July 1976. Due to inefficiency and
corruption the organization became non-functional with the
passage of time. Reportedly, the provincial government is
striving for its resurrection. The main functions of the SSC
are:
Procurement of quality pre-basic seeds of cotton, paddy and
wheat from the agriculture research centres.
Production of basic seed at the Seed Corporation farm.
Multiplication of pre-basic seed of cotton, paddy and wheat
at basic seed farms of the SSC located both in lower and
upper Sindh.
Processing of seed at the processing plant.
Storage/marketing and distribution of seeds.
As a matter of fact prior to introduction of the Cotton Leaf
Curl Virus (CLCV) disease in Sindh till 1995, the SSC was
functional with Niab-78, the CIM-109 and some cotton
varieties developed at the PCC Sakrand, and the Cotton
Research Institutes of Agricultural Department at Tandojam.
However, Niab-78 was the main variety covering over 80 per
cent of the cotton acreage in Sindh. Unfortunately like
other varieties, Niab-78 also fell victim to the CLCV
disease firstly in Punjab then in Sindh, especially since
1996.
Following widespread attack of the CLCV during 1998 farmers
started switching over to the CLCV tolerant varieties
developed in cotton research institutes of Punjab. As a
matter of fact it was the beginning of the doomsday for the
SSC. This is because of the failure of research institutes
to develop any CLCV tolerant cotton variety exhaust the only
source of getting pre-basic seed and its multiplication at
basic seed farms of the SSC. Since neither the research
institutes nor the SSC had to offer any CLCV tolerant
varieties, the cotton growers of Sindh became almost fully
dependent on the varieties developed in Punjab.
Thus having no alternatives, the Agriculture Department of
Sindh allowed three CLCV tolerant varieties VIZ: CIM-443,
CIM-446, and CIM-448 from Punjab in late 1990’s. Few years
back some more varieties of the Punjab cotton were approved
for cultivation in Sindh. These are CIM-473, CIM-499 and
FH-901. But the ground reality is that today a number of
other varieties developed in Punjab are openly sold in
Sindh. These are FH-1000, CIM-446, CIM-511, Niab-111,
CIM-109, SLS-1 etc. Without an approval, the Sindh
government could not stop the sale of verieties if it is
registered with the Federal Seed Certification Department.
This situation has created almost a free-for-all like
situation in seed sector. It is the poor grower who is the
worst sufferer. The reason being dependence of majority
growers on the dealers who supply them all inputs viz: seed,
fertilizer and pesticide on credit.
Since beggars can’t be the choosers, poor growers have to
accept what is offered by their dealers. After
non-functioning of the SSC, the business is handled mostly
by private seed companies which are 80 per cent Punjab
based.
Apart from the companies, the business is also handled by
the ginning factories, progressive growers and agro-dealers
who supply inputs viz: seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides to
financially constrained growers on credit. This sector
covers almost 30 to 40 per cent of the demand as growers get
it on price less than 50 per cent of the certified seeds of
registered seed companies.
The modus operandi is that puhtti (seed cotton) of first and
second picking is kept with the ginning factories. At the
end of the ginning season factories prepare seeds mostly in
February to March.
This winter, week long rains and cloudy weather during the
first week of February proved lethal for phutti stock meant
for seed preparation. The survey of ginning factories in
Khairpur and Sukkur indicated that the rains damaged the
germination percentage of cotton seeds. Majority of lots
examined were found with not more than 50 per cent
germination percentage. The Federal Seed Certification
Department also confirmed the damage of seed quality.
The varieties damaged are mostly Niab-78 and CIM-109 whose
cultivation in Punjab is banned. However, these two
varieties are very popular among the growers as they give
good yield under the climate of district; Khairpur, Sukkur
and Ghotki inspite of its susceptibility to the CLCV
disease.
Since winter rains have affected the germination percentage
of seeds prepared in February, growers are advised to
undertake germination test prior to the purchase of seeds,
especially of Niab-78 and CIM-109 from their suppliers. Seed
rate should be linked to the ratio of damaged seeds at the
time of sowing.
In view of pink boll worm infestation to newly introduced
cotton seeds from Punjab, the growers of Sindh should
undertake acid delinting of seeds prior to sowing.
To discourage behind-the-door sale of some unapproved
varieties, especially CIM-496 on higher rate the Agriculture
Department of Sindh should accord approval of this new high
yielding variety during Kharif 2004. The performance of
CIM-496 was reported to be the best among new verities of
Punjab by the majority growers in upper Sindh region.
The Agriculture Department should arrange screening of both
approved and unapproved cotton varieties of Punjab,
presently under cultivation in the province. Those found
giving good yield and less susceptible to pests should be
given approval and the rest be banned.
Courtesy: The DAWN
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