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ANALYSIS: Contamination in cotton
causes $1.4bn to $3bn loss
By a correspondent
KARACHI: Cotton contamination causes Pakistan a loss of at
least $1.4 billion annually, stated First Quarterly Report
of State Bank for FY05 released on Wednesday quoting All
Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA).
However, SBP said that the Pakistan Textile Journal has
estimated this amount at $3.0 billion.
The central bank noted that the quality of cotton, as
determined on the basis of its colour, length, strength,
fitness and most of all the degree of contamination, greatly
affects its price.
Pakistan Central Cotton Committee Survey 2001 carried out by
the International Textile Machinery Manufacturers’
Federation has classified Pakistan’s cotton as being among
the most contaminated.
In fact, the International Textile Manufacturing Forum
advises member textile units to avoid using yarn and fabrics
from Pakistan due to its contamination.
"This survey was based on the analysis of 243 spinning mills
located in 24 countries," stated the report adding, "It is
found that cotton from India, Pakistan, Turkey and
Tajikistan were the worst contaminated."
SBP maintained that appropriate contamination control
measures could raise the value of cotton production by 10 to
15 percent.
The report said that the contamination of raw cotton takes
place at every step from the farm picking to the ginning
stage.
Cotton contamination includes human hair, women scarf
shreds, strands of polypropylene bags, leaves, flowers,
sticks, weed, immature balls, trash, dust and other
materials.
Moreover, addition of water by pickers, picking before dew
dries up and storage of cotton on wet soil to increase its
weight spoils its quality.
However, the SBP noted that the major reason of
contamination was lack of awareness on importance of
reducing it as well as low economic incentives for reducing
contamination.
Suggesting various measures to reduce contamination the
central bank recommended introduction of standardised
picking storage and marketing of raw cotton and
dissemination of awareness through mass media to the
targeted segment. SBP recommended use of cloth bags for
cotton picking instead of jute and polypropylene, picking
during proper sunshine, variety wise picking, storage of
cotton at ‘pucca’ floors and use of metal body open trolleys
for transportation.
SBP suggested that the pickers should be paid in cash
instead of cotton to avoid contamination, which takes place
at picker’s home.
Quarterly Report recommended that the moisture of cotton has
to be maintained at 8 percent, carefully observed by
moisture meter as against twelve to thirteen percent
prevailing commonly.
SBP observed that the achievement of zero contamination was
impossible but reducing it to significantly lower levels was
practicable.
Furthermore, it noted that in order to improve the cotton
quality gradually the government had introduced scale of
premium price.
Courtesy: `Business Recorder
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Pakissan.com;
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