Scarcity of irrigation water will affect the standing crops of cotton in various areas of Punjab and Sindh. Water scarcity will cause 15 percent production loss in these regions which will amount to around 1.2 million of cotton bales, stated the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) recently.

Punjab is suffering from water stoppage by the irrigation department, while Sindh is dealing with water shortage, informed Mr. Rana Abdul Sattar, PCGA patron in chief and member of Sindh Assembly.

Mr. Sattar added that the Punjab Irrigation Department has stopped irrigation water for cotton crop cultivated in Rajanpur, Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan, Duniyapur and adjoining areas of these regions to provide water to the wheat crop, for which sowing has been stared since the third week of October and will continue till November 20.

He recommended the Punjab Agriculture Minister, Mr. Ahmed Ali Allak to pay attention towards the situation and to use the water management system for proper water supply to the cotton crop. Non-availability of water in Punjab province would affect 10 percent of this crop, which accounts for around 80 percent of the country's overall cotton production.

Water supply to these cotton cultivated regions should be assured by the month of November so that the country??s total production could surpass 12.10 million in the fiscal 2010-11, added Mr. Sattar.