A 25-strong delegation of Australian scientists and farmers are in Burkina Faso this week to help cotton farmers there improve the quality of their produce. The Australian experts have been sent by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) to deliver specialised training to farmers in Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal and Togo, as well as the Cotton-4 countries – Chad, Benin, Mali and Burkina Faso. Cotton is an important cash crop in Africa’s Sahel and sub-Sahar

More than 40 percent of the Pakistani textile industry and around 0.2 million power looms have shifted to Bangladesh in the last five years due to energy crisis in Pakistan and better incentives in Bangladesh, which has created serious employment related problems in the country. Discussion with the industry stakeholders, farmers' representatives and officials of Textile Ministry revealed that only in Punjab over 200,000 families are directly or indirectly negatively affected. Mohsin Aziz Khan,

As a result of tight supply because of continued rains in the country prices went up on the cotton market on Wednesday, dealers said. Official spot rate was unchanged at Rs 5650, they said. In the ready business, over 4000 bales of cotton changed hands between Rs 5600-5800, they said. Prices of seedcotton low quality in both Sindh and the Punjab were down by Rs 200 to Rs 1800 while the best type was inert at Rs 2400, they added. Market sources said that continued rains in the country interrupt

The cotton and ground nut crop in the state has failed. According to an estimate, about 60 per cent of the cotton has failed in the state. Sources in the industry said that the cotton crop has turned yellow, while the groundnuts are very small as compared to its regular size. Officials said that the cotton crop in Saurashtra, Kutch, Mehsana, Patan and Banaskantha has totally failed. Crops like cotton and groundnut that had been sown earlier in the beginning of the monsoon have failed on acco

IPhone 5 Lighter, Thinner: Apple introduced its new iPhone 5, a lighter, thinner and more powerful version of its iconic mobile device. "It is an absolute jewel. The software and engineering that went into this product is the most challenging our team has ever taken on," Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller told a packed launch event in San Francisco. The introduction has been among the most keenly anticipated in the tech world, with rumors and leaks over several months about the new device f

Coco Rocha at Zac Posen's Spring 2013 fashion show shot by Peter Stigter Blogger Bryanboy wins the biggest try-hard award. Wearing Alexander McQueen‘s mirrored visor, printed Prada brogues and a neon lime fur camera strap, he’s only an it-bag away from completef must-have overload. Victoria Beckham‘s collections keep getting better and better. With husband David Beckham beaming from the front row, her new take on tailoring expands her offering beyond the beautiful, but now expected body-co

At least 289 people were killed in a fire that swept through a garment factory overnight in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, a local official said Wednesday. The toll from the fire, which continued to burn Wednesday, is expected to rise, Commissioner Roshan Ali Shaikh, Karachi's top administrative official, said in a phone interview with CNN affiliate Geo TV. A child is among the dead, and at least 25 people have been injured, said Zakir Khan of the Karachi Fire Department. All the vict

Badal govt sets up panel to offer perks and retain textile spinning units Less than a week after Gujarat government announced its new textile industry promotion policy offering a slew of incentives, Punjab government has hit the panic button fearing the flight of its textile spinning units to Gujarat. The state government has already formed a high powered committee to offer its own set of incentives to either match or outdo the freebies offered by Narendra Modi-led government in Gujarat. The

Exports of textile sector are likely to increase by 10-15 percent during next one year with support of relief recently announced by the government. Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Yasin Siddik, Chairman All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Sindh Balochistan zone has welcomed the government decision to reduce Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) and export refinance rate. He said that on the demand of APTMA, President Asif Ali Zardari and Advisor to the Prime Minis