ISLAMABAD: The Board of the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) on Friday approved Rs 690.65 million for the financial year 2017-18 in order to meet the financial requirements of the committee. The 85th meeting of the PCCC was held here with Minister for Commerce and Textile Industry Muhammad Pervaiz Malik in the chair to discuss the matters of committee. The Ministry of Textile Industry secretary and representatives of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association, Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association, Karachi Cotton Association provincial governments attended the meeting. Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that it was an important cash crop of the country, providing raw material for the local industrial sector and main source of export. The minister was of the view that the PCCC should be restructured in order to enhance its performance in research and development for uplift of cotton crop in the country. He suggested formulating a committee comprising members of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), members of the National Assembly, farmers and other bodies involved in cotton trade and research to formulate a comprehensive policy for research and development of advanced cotton varieties to optimising the per-acre crop output. The minister also directed for removing the concerns of the APTMA and formulating a business plan in order to make the organisation more efficient. Meanwhile, Cotton Commissioner Dr Khalid Abdullah informed the meeting that the PCCC had developed 11 cotton varieties during last year, whereas 291 experiments were made and 68 varieties were tested during the period under review. The committee had tested pesticides at 17 locations and organised training courses for cotton farmers on pre and post harvest mechanism. He informed the committee that receivables from the 166 local textile mills in terms of cotton cess had reached Rs 625 million. The PCCC was informed that income in terms of cotton cess had also reduced as it was recorded at Rs 209.60 million in 2016-17 as against the receiving of Rs 529.76 million of 2013-14. Published in Daily Times, September 23rd 2017.