September 2007
September 26, Dawn	China to help develop new variety of cotton seed The government is exploring to acquire biotechnology from Chinese companies for developing virus-cum-pest-resistant genetically-modified cottonseeds, and the officials of the ministry of agriculture are said to be in negotiations with few such firms. "We have already made a presentation to agriculture secretary,'' Aamir Mahmood Mirza, the chief executive of Monsanto, informed Dawn from Lahore on Tuesday when asked to brief on the position of his company.
September 20, Business Recorder	Scientists facing challenge to meet cotton requirements Government is also planning to conduct tours and training for the scientists or researchers in foreign countries, so that they could learn about the latest technological development research and could apply them in Pakistan.
September 19, Business Recorder	Minfal against short staple cotton import The textile industry is trying to get permission for import of short staple cotton. "The industry is seeking approval for importing short staple cotton through Wagah border. The government has already allowed the import of long and extra-long staple cotton, they added. "A few days back, the textile industry sent a summary to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz requesting for permission to import short staple cotton through Wagah border.
September 18, Dawn	BT cotton seeds to yield over 5m bales this season The government is trying to blend foreign genetically modified seeds with local input by the scientists of two national institutions of Pakistan to make B.T. seeds more economical with a better yield and effective pest resistant. Both India and China have adopted these modified seeds but are entirely dependent on the foreign multinational company. Both these countries have tremendously improved on cotton output.
September 17, Dawn	Growing insect-free cotton In commercially grown cotton fields, 1,326 species of insect have been reported. Of these, 30 species are common. Pink bollworm, spotted bollworm, American bollworm, army worm, white fly, jassid, mealy bug and aphid are very harmful pests.
September 14, The News	Cotton output target to be achieved: Bosan Though 0.1 million acres area of cotton crop has been affected by mealy bug and CLCV, blooming hopes and strong anticipation are still there that the country will achieve the production target 14 million bales despite mealy bug and cotton leaf curl virus (CLCV) attack.
September 13, Business Recorder	Cotton crop under severe CLCV attack Without any relief from the attack of mealy bug, the cotton crop is now under the attack of cotton leaf curl virus (CLCV) which, according to sources, is more severe as compared to 2006. Sources said that last year in Punjab, the symptoms of CLCV were recorder on 70 percent spots of the cotton crop while this year, this attack has increased to 71 percent.
September 08, Dawn	New virus-resistant cotton seeds likely to evolve The director CCRI said the mealy bug is a new pest which is being controlled by spray of appropriate pesticides. The notion that the pest is indestructible is a misconception, adding that effective scouting of the crop and necessary pesticides at the early stage can arrest its spread.