Islamabad, Beijing sign MoU to increase cotton production in Pakistan

Two leading government-owned institutes from China and Pakistan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance Pakistan’s cotton production using advanced technological methods, according to a report by state broadcaster Radio Pakistan on Sunday.

Cotton is a vital cash crop for Pakistan. The country currently ranks as the fifth-largest cotton producer and the third-largest producer of cotton yarn globally, as reported by the Ayub Agricultural Institute. Cotton contributes 0.8% to Pakistan’s GDP and accounts for a substantial 51% of the nation's total foreign exchange earnings. The cotton industry has fueled a robust textile sector, with over 1,000 ginning factories and approximately 400 textile mills across Pakistan.

The MoU was signed between the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AAIR) of Pakistan and the Institute of Cotton Research (ICR) under the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, as reported by Radio Pakistan. Under the terms of the agreement, both institutes will collaborate on genetically improving cotton to boost its yield and promote Pakistan’s cotton industry on the global stage.

ICR is China’s sole state-level institution dedicated to cotton research, focusing on both basic and applied research. It leads major national cotton research projects addressing key scientific and technological challenges in cotton production.

Founded in 1962, the AAIR, located in Punjab, Pakistan, is one of the country's most renowned agricultural research institutes, with a mission to develop new crop varieties and technologies aimed at ensuring food security.

The MoU comes amid a sharp rise in cotton imports to Pakistan this year due to low domestic production. According to the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee, factories in the country had received 5.51 million bales of cotton as of January, a 34% drop from the previous year.

In Punjab, the country’s leading cotton-producing province, only 2.7 million bales were harvested, marking a more than 36% decrease compared to last year. Experts attribute the decline in cotton production to erratic weather patterns, which are believed to be a result of climate change.