INTRODUCTION

1.1    Pakistan is an arid country; 67 percent of the country gets less than 10 inches of rainfall in a year, 24 percent gets 10-20 inches, 5.5 percent get 20-30 inches and 3.5 percent gets above 30 inches of rainfall. Agriculture is, therefore, dependent on IRRIGATION. The Indus River System is ideally suited for irrigation. The historic discharge of the Indus river system in Pakistan is 175 million acre feet (MAF) out of which only 124 MAF are use able M. AFZAL (1990).

1.2    The present cultivated area per person and its projection in 2001 are given in Table 1.

Source: Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan.

It is alarming that the cultivated area (ha per person) has steadily decreased from 0.42 in 1951 to 0.26 in 1990 and is projected to go down to 0.16 in 2001. No wonder Pakistan has to keep on importing food grains and edible oils. In view of this situation, Life Boat Theory discussed elsewhere assumes special importance. AFZAL (1993).

Note: MIA retired as Vice President, Pakistan Central Cotton Committee and is presently Project Director, Institute Of Knitting Technology, Karachi being set up by Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association.

Email: iafzal555@hotmail.com

1.3    Cotton is the mainstay of Pakistan's economy. Millions of farmers, over one thousand ginning factories and over 400 textile mills depend on the silver fibre. It also earns over 60 percent of the foreign exchange for the country.

1.4    In Pakistan there is competition between cotton and sugar cane. Normally speaking cotton - wheat rotation is the rule. For sugar cane the crop season is of over one year and, therefore, while comparing per acre return this point must be kept in view. Although overall area under cotton, wheat, and sugar cane has increased, some of the prime cotton area has been taken over by sugar cane. Serious consideration must be given to reverting this area to cotton and, importing raw instead of refined sugar so that the investment already made in sugar factories remains productive. Area and yield under cotton, wheat and sugar cane are given 1n Table-2:

Source:

1. Agriculture Statistics of Pakistan (1993-94) - GOP

2. F.C.A GOP

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