Former Vice President of FPCCI Atif Ikram Sheikh on Monday said reduced cotton production is a great threat to the export sector, which is already crumbling under tough IMF conditionalities. He said the cotton crisis would hit the textile sector, responsible for most of the export earnings and catering for millions of jobs. He added that the government should immediately make an effective strategy to import cotton and increase its production.

Atif Ikram Sheikh, who has also served as Chairman of PVMA, said in a statement that cotton production was estimated to be only nine million bales after the floods. Still, according to recent estimates, it will decrease to 4.7 million bales due to a drastic reduction in the area under cotton cultivation.

He said that if the farmers were not given adequate returns, the area under cotton cultivation would decrease further next year, spelling disaster for farmers and the textile sector.

It is possible to increase cotton production only by increasing the support price, which is not according to the ground realities; therefore, they are switching to other crops.

Atif Ikram Sheikh said that cotton production in 2004-5 was 14.1 million bales, which is not impossible to achieve, but the farmers must get incentives and use modern technology. Otherwise, they will continue to prefer rice, sugarcane and maise over cotton.

The import bill of cotton, edible oil and animal feed will continue to increase if cotton output decreases, he warned.

Currently, cotton production costs almost Rs7000 per 40 kg , and farmers should get a profit of Rs2000 per 40 kg; otherwise, they will lose interest in cotton cultivation.