Pakistan: conference to voice cotton farmers’ concerns
The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) is organising a national conference to voice several issues concerning the cotton industry in the country. According to PCGA, the conference will discuss issues including cotton scarcity and the exploitation of cultivators and ginners by textile mill owners.
Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani will be requested to attend the conference to hear the problems faced by farmers and ginners due to the Ministry of Textile’s “prejudiced behaviour”, according to PCGA Chairman Amanullah Qureshi.
He alleged that commercial banks have sanctioned loan amounts that are less than the limits prescribed by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for buying raw cotton. He called upon the Governor of the SBP to formulate a debt policy 2012-13 for ginners, and direct all banks to strictly follow the same.
According to Mr Qureshi, if Pakistan’s Prime Minister had ensured execution of his order directing TCP to procure one million cotton bales, farmers would be in a far better economic state.
