Urgent reforms sought to enhance cotton cultivation

Pakistan’s cotton sector is facing a steep decline in production and acreage, prompting calls for immediate reforms. At the National Cotton Revival Conference in Multan on February 4, experts and officials—led by the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) and CottonConnect—stressed the urgent need for high-yield, climate-resilient seeds, efficient irrigation, and farmer support programs  . They also proposed modernizing the cotton value chain and revising land-use policies, including restricting sugarcane and rice in cotton belts  . Punjab additionally approved a Rs2.5 billion incentive for early sowing  . Stakeholders warned that continued inaction could threaten textile exports and increase cotton imports.