# Cotton revival: govt wants imported seed cleared in 12 to 18 months instead of about 7 years

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/business/cotton-revival-govt-wants-imported-seed-cleared-in-12-to-18-months-instead-of)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 29 Oct 2026
Updated: 29 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 30 Oct 2026

> Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain ordered faster pest-risk checks, a PARC-led push for foreign cotton germplasm and a review of farm machinery taxes as Punjab growers switch to sugarcane and maize.

**Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain has ordered a fast-track route for imported cotton seed that would cut approval from about seven years to 12 to 18 months**, [ARY News reported](https://arynews.tv/pakistan-directs-fast-track-seed-approvals-access-to-international-germplasm-for-cotton-sector) on Thursday 29 October 2026, after a high-level meeting on reviving cotton. The proposal will be examined within existing law and without weakening biosafety and biosecurity checks, the ministry said.

## Why cotton needs rescuing

Cotton area and output are falling, especially in **Punjab**, where farmers are moving to **sugarcane, maize** and other crops. The meeting listed the reasons: cotton leaf curl virus, pests, climate swings, poor-quality seed and little mechanisation. Cotton feeds Pakistan's textile industry, the country's largest exporter, so a weak crop means more imported lint and fewer dollars.

## What was decided

1. **Foreign germplasm:** a three-member committee of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (**PARC**, in the lead), the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority (**NSDRA**) and the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (**PCCC**) will work out how to get exotic cotton genetic material, what it costs and how to share suitable public germplasm with private seed companies.
2. **Faster import checks:** the Department of Plant Protection must clear pending Pest Risk Analyses and Controlled Import Permits quickly.
3. **12 to 18 month approval** for imported seed, to be examined.
4. **Accountability for breeders:** public-sector cotton breeders get performance targets (KPIs) and incentives.
5. **Regional testing:** varieties will be judged by agro-climatic zone, not one national standard, and NSDRA must speed up approvals and basic seed supply.
6. **Machines:** testing rules for varieties suited to mechanical, single-pick harvesting, and a review of taxes on farm machinery.
7. **GM and Bt cotton** still need biosafety clearance from the climate change ministry; bigger policy questions may go to the Prime Minister.

Organic cotton and carbon-credit schemes were flagged as new openings.

## Which countries could supply seed

The ministry has engaged **China, Turkiye, Syria, Kenya, the United States, Mexico, Kyrgyzstan and Australia**. China has already submitted its technical dossier and the Department of Plant Protection has asked for more information; the rest depend on replies.

## What it means for growers

Nothing changes for the coming sowing season yet: the decisions are directions to institutions, which must send proposals back to the ministry. Farmers weighing cotton against sugarcane or maize should watch for NSDRA's list of newly approved varieties for their zone. The ARY report gave no production figures or targets.

## Frequently asked questions

**How long does it take to approve imported cotton seed in Pakistan?**

About seven years under current procedures. In October 2026 the food security ministry proposed a 12 to 18 month fast-track route, still to be examined.

## Sources

- Pakistan directs fast-track seed approvals, access to international germplasm for cotton sector (29 Oct 2026) (ARY News): https://arynews.tv/pakistan-directs-fast-track-seed-approvals-access-to-international-germplasm-for-cotton-sector

How to cite: "Cotton revival: govt wants imported seed cleared in 12 to 18 months instead of about 7 years", Searchable, 29 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/business/cotton-revival-govt-wants-imported-seed-cleared-in-12-to-18-months-instead-of