Multan, Pakistan
April 20, 2009
Source:
Pakistan Biotechnology
Information Center (PABIC)
All of the cotton varieties in
Pakistan have come under the threat of virus, a warning that had
been launched by the Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) in
the market after years of research. The CCRI's 15-year long
claims of producing virus free cotton have proved to be false,
as only last year cotton crops spread over thousands of acres in
about 53 tehsils were destroyed due to massive virus attack.
This year a record decline in the sale of seeds of CCRI is
observed and farmers have also plainly refused to sow the seeds
of the Institute. According to the sources, the CCRI is the
largest department of the country to produce highest number of
cotton varieties.
Out of the 15 approved varieties of cotton by the government,
seven are of Multan including IM 543, CIM 496, CIM 506, CIM 446,
CIM 499, CIM 473 and CIM 707. However, mealy bug and leaf curl
virus, are posing severe threat to these varieties, a reason
that made the farmers reluctant to cultivate these varieties of
the CCRI. The Federal government has spent billions of rupees on
research centres, but still the CCRI has failed to produce virus
free variety even on its experimental farms situated at the CCRI
fields.
Due to these harsh facts, Pakistan is unable to achieve its
cotton target from the last three years. Our textile sector has
compelled to import cotton worth billions of rupees from India,
while the neighbour has succeeded in achieving 10 times more
cotton production because its government has legally accepted BT
cotton and included the variety in research.
The cultivation of cotton has started in Pakistan and it is
feared that the attack of leaf curl virus would be more intense
this season than the last year.
Source by:
Pakissan.com, Business
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