Cotton growers in Pakistan have expressed their anger over a ban imposed by India on the import of their product.

The Indian ministry of agriculture said the ban was to avoid the spread of diseases, which it says are virulent under Indian climatic conditions.

The chairman of the Karachi Cotton Association, Maqbool Sethi, told the BBC the Pakistani crop was one of the best in years and disease free.

He accused India of fabricating an excuse to ban cotton imports from Pakistan, and said there may be a political reason behind the move.

Correspondents say cotton is vitally important to Pakistan's economy and the Indian market is seen as offering huge potential for future export growth.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service