Interviews
Expert advises Govt to be proactive on Bt cotton seeds
27 Aug '09
1 min read
Dr Neil Forrester, an Australian expert on Bt cotton seeds and synthetic insecticides said that the Pakistan Government should consider obtaining assistance for development of hybrid seeds and setting up of R&D facilities for cotton sector.
He said that during his visit to the cotton fields of Pakistan he came across a field which had been affected by mealy bugs and attributed the same to fake seeds and insecticides, used by the farmer.
Poor water-management along with absence of R&D facilities and no coordination between government and people connected to cotton sector has been impacting the production of cotton in the country, he said.
He added by saying that, “Pakistan will not be able to meet its target of cotton production, unless it provides copyrights to the foreign seed and hybrid companies, so that cultivation of fake seeds is brought to an end”.
Dr Forrester has a wealth of experience in the cotton industry and was a Principal Research Scientist and Supervisor of cotton research for the New South Wales Department of Agriculture at the Australian Cotton Research Institute.
He said that during his visit to the cotton fields of Pakistan he came across a field which had been affected by mealy bugs and attributed the same to fake seeds and insecticides, used by the farmer.
Poor water-management along with absence of R&D facilities and no coordination between government and people connected to cotton sector has been impacting the production of cotton in the country, he said.
He added by saying that, “Pakistan will not be able to meet its target of cotton production, unless it provides copyrights to the foreign seed and hybrid companies, so that cultivation of fake seeds is brought to an end”.
Dr Forrester has a wealth of experience in the cotton industry and was a Principal Research Scientist and Supervisor of cotton research for the New South Wales Department of Agriculture at the Australian Cotton Research Institute.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
Popular News
Leave your Comments
Editor’s Pick
Dr. Michael Duetsch & Man Woo Lee
UPM Biochemicals and Dongsung Chemical
Andreas Rass
ZIMMER AUSTRIA | Digital Printing Systems
Esteemed Clients
-Ltd..jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Thermore (Far East) Ltd.")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TSllC Ltd)")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF)")
