ISLAMABAD: Cotton production in Pakistan is expected to fall by 43.08% in 2022-23, a record low.
Cotton Fall
The Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) was informed that cotton production is estimated at 6.3 million bales from an area of 2.1 million hectares, representing a 43.08% decrease in production over the previous year. The FCA meeting for Rabi Season (2022-23) was presided over by Tariq Bashir Cheema, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research.
Participants at the meeting included provincial agriculture departments, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), the National Fertiliser Development Centre (NFDC), the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the Indus River System Authority, and senior officials from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.
The committee examined the performance of Kharif crops (2022-23) as well as the Rabi crop production plan (2022-23). The committee also discussed the state of Rabi crop inputs (2022-23).
The meeting discussed the production targets of major and minor crops such as wheat, mash, gramme, potato, lentil, onion, tomato, and chilies. The committee also set production targets for Rabi crops (2022-23), with wheat set at 28.4 million tonnes on an area of 9.3 million hectares, and gramme, potato, onion, and tomato set at 560, 6029, 2422, and 622 thousand tonnes, respectively.
The availability of certified seed for Rabi crops was also discussed in the House, and the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department (FSC&RD) reported that certified seed availability for Rabi crops increased by 14% compared to last year.
