ISLAMABAD (February 28 2004): Efforts are under way to establish fiber testing laboratories equipped with high volume instrument throughout the cotton belt in order to facilitate the private sector in instrumental valuation of cotton.

"Being fully alive to the future cotton marketing requirements, the government has been giving emphasis on the necessary administrative, operational and marketing arrangements in order to ensure the implementation of cotton standardisation and grading programme in the country that would also help produce contamination-free cotton," said Dr Qadir Bux Baloch, Cotton Commissioner while talking to APP here on Friday.

He said the government has taken necessary steps on its part matching the spirit of the Cotton Standardisation Ordinance and the MINFAL as in constant touch with the provincial agriculture department and the private sector to implement the system at the grass roots level.

"It may not be out of place to mention here that Pakistan's image as supplier of coarse yarn such as 20/1 and 30/1, low quality and low cost fabrics for underlining is rapidly changing into a reliable source of top quality textile from home furnishing to garments," he added.

"As a matter of fact", he said, "the whole of production, processing, marketing and trade of cotton in the country lies with the private sector, which is also required to meet certain obligations to implement the provisions of the Cotton Standardisation Ordinance."

Dr Baloch said, "the growers are required to ensure clean picking and maintain the moisture contents within the permissible limits, the ginners are to purchase seed cotton on the basis of grades and pay a premium price for better grades besides putting mark of the grade and staple on each bale."

He said the spinners and exporters should purchase raw cotton on the basis of grades and staple rather than the variety or station and also ensure better prices for better grade and staple.

Dispelling the impression regarding contribution of Ministry of Food and Agriculture with regard to cotton production, Dr Qadir Bux Baloch said, MINFAL had taken a lead in the South East Asia by introducing cotton standardisation and grading as early as 1980's with the technical assistance sought from FAO/UNDP and the Asian Development Bank.

POSITIVE IMPACT: He said the positive impact of such an endeavour could be gauged from the fact that in the cotton and textile circles of Pakistan the most talked about issue these days is the production of contamination-free cotton and the introduction of grading system.

He said the government has already promulgated the Cotton Standardisation Ordinance 2002.

Most of the provisions of the said Ordinance have already been implemented.

Pakistan Cotton Standards Institute has been established and equipped with men and material capabilities to implement the cotton grading system and national cotton standards and grades have been developed and duly approved by the government and fully recognised by the national and international agencies concerned, he added.

He said the government has been successful in pursuing and convincing Karachi Cotton Association to issue the daily raw cotton spot rate on the basis of officially approved grade and staple rather than the variety or any other subjective parameters.

The government has been issuing the support price of seed cotton on the basis of grade and staple, he said, adding, the provincial governments have also made necessary amendments in the Cotton Control Act to provide for the measures required under the Cotton Standardization Ordinance.

He said the Cotton Standards Institute has been instrumental in probating the skill of cotton grading and classing among the private sector. So far about 1,300 personnel belonging to the private sector, including growers, ginners, spinners and cotton traders, have been trained thus enabling the private sector to adopt the cotton standardisation and grading system.

Courtesy Business Recorder