High-Tech Push to End Crop Data Confusion in Pakistan
Punjab is preparing to adopt satellite technology to settle long-running disputes over agricultural reporting, particularly cotton production.
The system, expected to begin operations next year, aims to deliver more reliable numbers to help guide farming and trade decisions.
For years, Pakistan has faced challenges in gathering accurate crop data, creating problems for policymakers, exporters, and the textile industry.
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Punjab, the largest cotton-growing province, has often been at the centre of this debate.
The initiative is being introduced under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) with technical support from China.
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It builds on the Land Information and Management System (LIMS), launched in 2023 to promote sustainable farming and digital recordkeeping.
Officials believe this step will resolve the clash between the provincial Crop Reporting Service (CRS) and the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA).
The two bodies have frequently published conflicting production estimates, creating uncertainty in the market.
CRS maintains that its sampling and field surveys follow global standards, while PCGA insists its data is closer to reality as it tracks cotton delivered to ginning factories.
The dispute grew sharper this year when CRS recorded Punjab’s output at 609,000 bales by the end of July, nearly double the 301,000 bales reported by PCGA.
