LAHORE: A fast-track move, aimed at shifting towards cotton efficiency, meets snail’s paced response by the officials, delaying efforts for reviving cotton crop in shortest possible time. A recent high-level meeting chaired by Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, although reaffirmed the government’s commitment to revitalising the national cotton sector, failed to take practical steps for granting permission to fast-track approval process for cultivation of imported cotton seed.
This decisive move follows a period of inaction by the officials concerned, despite high-level policy nods from the prime minister himself, blocking policy shift for over a year due to bureaucratic friction on the back of a strong seed lobby opposing introduction of modern cotton seed technology. By removing these barriers, farmers can be provided high-yielding, climate-resilient imported hybrid varieties that are essential for reversing the recent drastic decline in domestic cotton production, which recently plummeted from 14 million to merely 5.5 million bales.
Industry experts and stakeholders, who participated in the moot, highlighted that the actual deployment of high-yielding varieties has been stalled by inaction on fast-track approval protocols, which has precedence or granting permission earlier. The focus has to be shifted to the critical administrative hurdles that still remain, they stressed.
The current regulatory framework remains a significant point of contention, as it typically requires a seven-year cycle to move a seed variety from initial trials to commercial availability. During the meeting held on April 6, 2026, no final decision has yet been made regarding the proposal to compress this timeline to just three years. This delay is particularly concerning for the textile value chain, which has seen national production plummet to 5.5 million bales.
Without an expedited system to validate the safety and efficacy of imported seeds simultaneously with yield trials, the benefits of lifting the import ban may not be realised in timely manner keeping in view urgency of tackling ongoing cotton yield crisis.
The ministry is increasingly under pressure to finalise procedural frameworks to ensure that the policy shift toward seed liberalization translates into a tangible increase in crop yields and national economic security. Chairperson of Aptma also stressed that fast-track approval process for commercial cultivation of imported cotton seed should be give top importance. He said that nosedived local cotton production has multiplied challenges for textile owners regarding sourcing natural fibre.
A leading manufacturer of farm inputs, who participated in the meeting, cautioned about challenges being posed by cotton leaf curl virus disease (CLCV) to cotton. He stressed that any imported seed has to go through strict test of showing resistance to CLCV. He added that protection against whitefly, a vector for CLCV, is key in domestic perspective, terming pest control indispensable for significantly reducing the risk of disease.
Beyond vital importance of seed testing mechanism, the meeting addressed broader structural reforms within the Cotton Revival Plan. Key initiatives include the proposed transformation of the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee into an industry-led Pakistan Cotton Advisory Council and a revised mechanism for collecting the cotton cess through the Federal Board of Revenue. The goal is to ensure that 70 per cent of these funds are reinvested directly into research and development, creating a sustainable loop of innovation that can withstand the historical administrative bottlenecks of the agricultural sector.
The urgency of these pending decisions is underscored by the increasing competition for land between cotton and more stable, water-intensive crops like sugarcane. Stakeholders warned that without a clear roadmap and a functional fast-track approval system, farmers may continue to migrate away from cotton, further endangering Pakistan’s textile exports.
