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Pakistan's Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) fails to produce virus-free cotton variety

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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 Recorder

 

 

 

 

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