Imported cotton seed to get 12-month approval

Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain has asked officials to assess a fast-track route for imported cotton seed, which could reduce approval time from around seven years to 12 to 18 months. The proposal must be considered within existing laws and retain required scientific tests and biosecurity and biosafety safeguards, The Express Tribune reported.

A ministerial meeting on the Cotton Revival Strategy examined declining cultivation, especially in Punjab, where weak yields, higher costs and lower returns have encouraged farmers to grow other crops. Officials also discussed improving locally developed seed, easing access to imported varieties and speeding up pest-risk reviews and import permits; China has provided a technical dossier, while discussions with several other countries await responses. A committee led by the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council is to help obtain cotton germplasm, and crop varieties are to be assessed for suitability in specific growing regions.