Pakistan, Oct. 6 -- Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) Chairman Sohail Mahmood Haral called for urgent government measures to revive the country's cotton sector, warning that production had fallen sharply from around 15 million bales to just 5.5 million bales last year, posing a serious threat to farmers, ginners and the broader agricultural and industrial value chain.

In a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Haral urged the government to ensure immediate availability of quality cotton seed, revive the country's research and seed-development system, and provide farmers with certified, high-yielding, disease-resistant and climate-resilient varieties in time for sowing.

He also demanded immediate withdrawal of sales tax on co...