ISLAMABAD, March 4: The Cotton Committee formed by the president has tasked the country`s agricultural research institutions to introduce new varieties of cotton.
The first meeting of the committee on Friday decided that the research institutions coming up with new varieties would be given a major share in the marketing rights apart from bonus for individual scientists with a view to promote research in agriculture.
Former minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal chaired the meeting of the committee which was attended by Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Mir Israrullah Zehri, Textile Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin, and deputy chairman Planning Commission.
The meeting was also attended by Gauhar Ijaz and Shahzad Ahmad of Aptma who offered to finance research on equity basis with the public sector so that cotton production is enhanced to meet the 16 million bales requirement of the industry.
It added that the association can patronise one of the cotton research centres as a model for the country.
The committee noted that the Leaf Curl virus and White Fly were the main threats to the cotton crop, especially in the Punjab and asked the scientists to work on varieties that resist these viruses.
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