Pakistan textile industry wants to import Indian cotton

Islamabad, Sep 8 With the devastating monsoon rain hitting cotton areas, the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association has approached the federal government to allow the import of cotton from India via Wagah to meet the rising export orders.

Exporters say early estimates show that 25 per cent of the standing cotton crop had been damaged and there was a possibility of a raw material shortage in the country, Dawn reported.

Separately, in the wake of flood losses suffered by cotton harvest in Sindh and Punjab, the federal government on Wednesday formed a committee that will negotiate with seed companies and facilitate them to introduce state-of-the-art cotton seeds in the local market.

The decision was taken during a meeting at the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to consult with stakeholders and review proposals for the enhancement of yield and area of cotton crops.

"We have approached Finance Minister Miftah Ismail to look into one of our demands," Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) Patron in Chief Khurram Mukhtar told Dawn on Wednesday.

He said actual calculations of cotton demand would be made after September 15.

"We might need to import 2.5 million bales from India," he said, adding that seemed to be the only viable option with lower logistics costs.

Mukhtar said the minister has assured them he would take up the issue with coalition partners and other stakeholders.

Last week, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said that he personally supported the idea to allow the import of vegetables from India and that international organisations had approached Pakistan to import food items from India as part of relief operations.

However, the minister said that the decision in this regard will be taken after consultation with coalition partners, Dawn reported.

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