Daily Times

Between ringing alarm bells over the production output touching a historic four-decade low and painting the town red because of a surprising comeback, a lot has changed for Pakistan’s star crop. A few months ago, the glaring lack of state’s attention towards

Pakistan’s per acre cotton production dropping to half the regional average continued to make rounds on social media. There were talks of an extraordinary talent needed to cripple a country’s natural comparative advantage, especially pertaining to the raw material of primary export industries.

Well, from the looks of a press release by the commerce ministry, we have finally stepped out of the dark tunnel as cotton producers report a staggering 71 per cent year-on-year growth.

The havoc unleashed by a vicious monsoon season had caused a huge setback with experts lamenting how the textile industry would have to import around 10 million bales to satiate its annual hunger for 15 million bales. This year’s bumper crop of around 12 million bales would go a long way in ensuring the local players stay in the race. Of course. recovering the lost ground is only the beginning if the authorities are interested in reaching the former glory. There used to be a time when Pakistan’s cotton was considered a hot commodity in the international market.

Today, when countries like Bangladesh have merrily waltzed their way ahead of us, the fault lies nowhere but in our skewed priorities and unabated restructuring of the agricultural pie. By diverting attention to sugar sultans, Islamabad sat tight-lipped as its star product dashed for the backdoor exit.

Now and then, cotton producers and ginners implore the government to open its eyes to the increasing amounts of raw cotton imported just to keep its textile industry alive. If we do not wish to close the export shop altogether, we would have to accept the crucial significance of mechanised farming and long over-due land reforms. *