Due to defective pesticides and poor support from the government agencies this year cotton production would be less said Mukhtar Ahmed, senior vice president of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI).

He said this situation calls for serious action by the federal and the provincial government departments dealing with agricultural and cotton crop in particular. Cotton is Pakistan''s principal cash crop and contributes to over 60 percent of our exports. It is unfortunate that this crop is not receiving technical support that it needs.

He said the government had some ago passed a regulation to streamline cotton crop production and marketing. This measure also prescribed punishment for the sale of adulterated pesticides, but it is regretful that no one has as yet been taken to task for supplying adulterated pesticides.