PAKISTAN
Pakistan is preparing to launch a satellite-based monitoring system next year to address long-standing disputes over crop data, particularly in Punjab, where conflicting figures on acreage and production have complicated policymaking.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), will be implemented in collaboration with China and the Land Information and Management System (LIMS), which was launched in 2023 to promote sustainable and technology-driven agriculture. Officials believe the project will help resolve chronic discrepancies between the Punjab Crop Reporting Service (CRS) and the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA).
For years, CRS has been accused of inflating provincial cotton output through controversial sampling methods, while the PCGA’s figures—based only on cotton received at ginning factories—are said to understate the crop. This has left Pakistan with two conflicting national datasets, undermining its credibility in international cotton forums and complicating decisions on imports, exports, and pricing.
In the current fiscal year, CRS reported Punjab’s seed cotton output at 609,000 bales as of July 31, while PCGA put the figure at just 301,000 bales. CRS Director General Dr Abdul Qayyum defended the service’s estimates, saying they are based on internationally recognised methodologies, including randomised sampling, GPS-enabled tools, and FAO-endorsed yield estimation techniques. He argued that PCGA data ignores cotton still at farms, transferred to other provinces, or held by stockists.
Dr Qayyum urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to establish a foolproof system at ginning factories to ensure transparent and real-time reporting of processed cotton. “This step is essential for strengthening data integrity and improving policy coordination,” he said.
Meanwhile, the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has shown interest in taking over the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC). The proposal follows a meeting on cotton revival chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, during which APTMA settled billions of rupees in outstanding dues with PCCC. Industry stakeholders believe the takeover could boost cotton research, helping develop high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties to improve per-acre output.
On the market front, heavy rains across cotton-growing areas have triggered a shortage of quality lint, pushing prices higher. Rates rose by Rs200–300 per maund, reaching Rs16,400–16,600 in local markets. Cotton Ginners Forum Chairman Ihsanul Haq warned that continued depreciation of the rupee could drive prices up further. – ER Report
