Cotton Ginners Demand Nationwide Campaign To Save Cotton Economy
Pakistan's Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) has called for a national campaign titled "Grow Cotton, Save the Economy," presenting several recommendations to the government, which they believe should be incorporated into policy. At their general body meeting, the PCGA advocated for:
- The immediate closure of sugar mills operating in cotton zones.
- Withdrawal of all taxes on cotton and its by-products.
- Complete abolition of sales tax on cottonseed cake and cottonseed.
- Removal of fixed tax on electricity bills.
- Granting industry status to the ginning sector for access to electricity and gas at industrial rates.
- Full implementation of the Cotton Control Act.
The meeting, attended by prominent figures from business and politics, including S.M. Tanveer, Atif Ikram Sheikh, and many industrialists and traders, resulted in Sohail Mahmood Harl being elected as the new PCGA chairman.
Sohail Mahmood Harl pledged to fight for the revival of cotton and the removal of taxes, emphasizing the decline in Pakistan's GDP and agricultural output. S.M. Tanveer highlighted the country's competitiveness issues due to low cotton production, especially compared to neighboring nations with lower electricity costs.
FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh echoed this concern, noting the challenge posed by declining cotton production and high energy costs to Pakistan's global competitiveness.