Two leading government supported institutions from China and Pakistan have signed an agreement to improve Pakistan's cotton yield through advanced technological means. The collaboration, signed in the form of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), is projected to enhance Pakistan's crucial cotton industry.
Cotton is of great importance in Pakistan as it contributes in boosting the nation’s economy and makes it the fifth-largest cotton producer in the world. It contributes to 51% of foreign exchange earnings for the state and also contributes to make up 0.8% of the country's national GDP. The memorandum was signed between Pakistan's Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) in Punjab and China's Institute of Cotton Research (ICR). The two will join hands to enhance cotton production through genetic improvement and help market Pakistan's cotton industry globally.
ICR is the only state-level cotton research institute in China and leads national programs on the solution of major cotton cultivation problems. AARI, founded in 1962, is among Pakistan's premier agricultural research organizations and focuses on creating new crop varieties and technologies for food security. This alliance falls on the back of a peak in cotton imports in Pakistan after a steep decline in local output. Factories had imported 5.51 million bales by January, down 34% from last year. Output in Punjab, the country's leading cotton-grown province, dropped to 2.7 million bales—more than 36% lower than the previous year.