Lack of quality seeds behind stagnant cotton production
Agriculture Report of Pakistan 2023
The lack of good quality seed is the main reason for the stagnant yield and declining area under cotton in Pakistan, as the average available cotton seed is around 44 per cent germination.
“This means that 44 out of every 100 seeds germinate, all the rest are wasted. The result is that farmers usually apply 16 kg of seed per acre, with uneven germination across the field. Good quality seeds With this, only 8 kg per acre will be required,” said the Status of Pakistan's Agriculture Report 2023, released on Thursday by the Pakistan Business Council.
The report noted that Pakistan's cotton production has declined by an average of 10 to 12 million bales per year over the past two decades, but has declined sharply in the past few years. “China and Australia are the major cotton producing countries which cultivate irrigated cotton like Pakistan. Their average productivity per acre has been increasing over the years (except in drought years), while Pakistan's yield has remained stable at around 1 bale per acre, with a decline in recent years.
The report noted that yield gains in China and Australia were mainly due to improved agricultural techniques, seedling transplantation, better crop management strategies to combat disease, more appropriate irrigation, stronger fertilizer application and improved seeds following the adoption of genetically modified seeds. Due to the adoption of In the last 20 years, India's cotton production has more than doubled. In the first few years of the 21st century, India's cotton production ranged between 14 and 16 million bales, while Pakistan's cotton production ranged between 11 and 14 million bales. This was the time when Bt cotton was introduced in Pakistan, but without a strong seed industry.
In the following decade, Pakistan's cotton production remained stable within this range, with India's cotton production reaching around 40 million bales in early 2013. “Poor quality seed means low germination level, higher seed cost per acre and more labor cost. This means less yield which means less earning. It also means higher susceptibility of the crop to climate effects, and disease and pest attacks, inability to compete against weeds, and nutrient loss,” the report said.
Furthermore, Bt cotton was brought to Pakistan through unregulated channels without any formal leadership, which is why, although most of Pakistan's cotton contains transgenic technology, its effectiveness remains questionable.
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