LAHORE, July 20: The reconstituted Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) will strive to raise the country’s cotton output to 25 million bales over the next 3 to 5 years by restructuring and revamping the entire cotton research.

Speaking to Dawn on Friday, the committee’s newly-appointed vice-president Shahzad Ali Khan said the cotton scientists would be motivated to undertake fresh research for developing high-yielding cotton varieties suitable to the country’s climate by giving them market-driven salaries and other incentives.

Besides, he said, scientists from China and other countries will also be hired to help “our scientists in carrying out research for early results”.

He said cotton production in Pakistan has remained stagnant for over two decades and the industry is forced every year to import the fibre to meet its requirements.

“There is an urgent need for raising the cotton yield to 20 million bales in two years and then increasing it to 25 million bales,” Shahzad, a farmer and spinner, said.

He said Pakistan is experiencing climatic changes and “we must work to develop and grow cotton seed varieties that need less water and still can give higher yield”.