Cotton crop in Pakistan will be sown on around 400,000 hectares of land in the country in the coming crop season 2011-12, commencing in May-June, 2011, according to local media.

“Due to growing demand, higher domestic prices and better returns to growers, around 20% more land will be acquired for lint cultivation,” said Rana Abdul Sattar, senior member of the Pakistan Cotton Ginners association (PCGA) and member of the Sindh Assembly.

He said there was an expectation of a bumper crop in Pakistan, and it is expected that the country might touch the level of 15 million bales in the 2011-12 crop season.

Mr Sattar said timely sprays of pesticides and water would save crops from virus attacks and that “it is the responsibility of agriculture field officials to educate growers about remedial measures in case of any virus attack on the crop”.

Former Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, Nazar Muhammad Gondal told local media that the land in Balochistan was very suitable for cotton production and its 19 districts were identified for this purpose.

“It is encouraging that Balochistan is being considered for growing more cotton which would increase the income of the growers and also help to alleviate poverty in the province,” he said. “More than 20,000 hectares of land in the Balochistan province will be put under cotton crop cultivation during the next sowing season.”

Cotton analyst Shakeel Ahmad said the increase in cotton prices in the country hit a historic level in February 2011. He said cotton prices in Pakistan were still 15% lower in comparison to the international market.

Meanwhile in Virginia, US, cotton producers expect to plant 50,000 hectares this season, up more than 50% from 2010.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has also reported increased acreage for soybeans and corn. Soybean growers expect to plant nearly 240,000 hectares, up 12,000 hectares from a year ago. Corn plantings are expected to increase 8,000 hectares to 200,000 hectares.

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