Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar chaired the third meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Essential Cash Crops, with a sharp focus on reviving Pakistan’s struggling cotton sector and reviewing national wheat stocks for the coming year. In the high-level meeting, the committee held in-depth discussions on the Cotton Plan 2025–26, aiming to implement immediate, medium, and long-term policy measures for revitalizing the crop’s role in the national economy.

Cotton, once a cornerstone of Pakistan’s agriculture and textile industry, has seen declining yields and profitability in recent years. Deputy PM Dar emphasized the urgent need for coordinated, practical, and sustainable actions to bring cotton back to the forefront and ensure better returns for farmers. “Cotton must reclaim its central role in Pakistan’s agricultural and economic framework,” he stressed. 

The Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) was tasked with organizing a follow-up meeting next week, bringing together all key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors across the cotton value chain. The Ministry will also present an actionable implementation plan to the committee to ensure timely execution of recommendations. In addition to cotton, the committee reviewed projections for wheat production in 2025, along with existing carry-forward stocks and estimated national needs for the 2025–26 food year.

Officials confirmed that the country holds sufficient wheat reserves to meet domestic demand until the next harvest, offering some relief amid global food security concerns. The meeting was attended by the Ministers for National Food Security, Finance, and Planning, SAPM Tariq Bajwa, and senior representatives from MNFSR, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)