Pakistani textile mill owners and cotton ginners are fighting over government procurement of cotton.
The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) has asked the government to mobilize the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) as an alternative purchaser of cotton in the market and also announce support price of the commodity. However, the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association has said that the government's intervention in the free market mechanism would not be wise.
PCGA chairman Haji Hafeez Anwar said the government should start the procurement of cotton through the TCP within a week to avoid economic strain on farmers. He said farmers were being exploited by textile mill owners and that the industry this year is picking up crop only for the existing requirement, whereas earlier they used to buy for the future as well.
The PCGA chairman asked the government to facilitate manufacturers and exporters to create demand for cotton and guarantee the full utilisation of the current cotton crop. He said that support price fixed by the government would help the farmers ensure fair return of their produce otherwise farmers would be shifted to alternate products rather than cotton.
The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) has asked the government to mobilize the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) as an alternative purchaser of cotton in the market and also announce support price of the commodity. However, the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association has said that the government's intervention in the free market mechanism would not be wise.
PCGA chairman Haji Hafeez Anwar said the government should start the procurement of cotton through the TCP within a week to avoid economic strain on farmers. He said farmers were being exploited by textile mill owners and that the industry this year is picking up crop only for the existing requirement, whereas earlier they used to buy for the future as well.
The PCGA chairman asked the government to facilitate manufacturers and exporters to create demand for cotton and guarantee the full utilisation of the current cotton crop. He said that support price fixed by the government would help the farmers ensure fair return of their produce otherwise farmers would be shifted to alternate products rather than cotton.