In view of boosting Pakistan’s textile exports, the Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Textile Industry has called for value-addition in the industry, while emphasising on the need to adopt modern innovative methods to compete in the global market.
Mohsin Aziz, Chairman, Senate Standing Committee, said, “We should adopt modern tools and follow innovation and research in textile industry to make our products competitive in the international markets.”
The textile sector in Pakistan has seen a decline of 33 per cent in cotton production in the 2015-16 season as compared to 2014-15, due to heavy rain and floods in Sindh and Punjab. The country needs to take measures to increase the cotton production in future.
Highlighting the existing textile scenario in the country, Aziz said, “The textile industry in the country is passing through a critical phase. We need to take tangible steps for promotion of this important sector. The authorities should take immediate remedial measures to modernise this important textile sector accordingly to international standards.”
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During the meet, officials of Ministry of Textile Industry told the committee that extensive rainfall during the season of cotton sowing led to damage of the cotton crops. The officials also blamed the reduced market prices, irrigation issues and different viruses for low cotton production in the country. They also said that both Punjab and Sindh saw a decline of 44 per cent and 4.56 per cent, respectively, in the cotton production.
Moreover, Senator Saleem Mandviwala expressed his concern over the research expenditure of PCC while discussing the role and expenses of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC).
The reduced cotton production this season has been a major concern. Amir Khan, Secretary, Ministry of Textile Industry commented, “In the previous two years, we had got good cotton crops but unfortunately in the 2015-16 season, a different natural phenomenon like extensive rainy weather also remained main cause of damage to the cotton crop.”
