Pakistan cotton production this season increased by 11pc over last season

This season cotton production of Pakistan has witnessed growth by 11 percent to 14.871 million bales compared to 13.391m bales a year earlier. Punjab produced 10.896m bales, showing a rise of 13.14pc over 9.631m bales last season, according to Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association’s (PCGA) final phutti (seed cotton) report for the current season.

But Sindh recorded a growth of only 5.7pc in cotton production at 3.974m bales as against 3.76m bales produced last season (2013-14).

Favourable weather has been a major factor for higher cotton production. No floods or heavy rains were witnessed during the entire plantation season said Cotton analyst Naseem Usman. But expressed concern over the delay in sowing of next crop (2015-16) because of prolonged rainy season in Punjab and extended winter season in Sindh.

According to him, the next crop would not be available before end-July or early August. Until then, the limited stocks of around 227,905 bales left with ginners at present would not be sufficient to meet the industry’s demand.

Phutti arrivals during April 15 to May 1 fortnight were also markedly higher at 6,305 bales against only 906 during the same period of last season.

This season exporters have so far purchased 475,174 bales versus 399,382 bales last season. The spinners also lifted higher quantity of cotton at 14.073m bales compared to 12.584m.

The ginners are holding less amount of unsold cotton stocks at 227,905 bales over the last season of around 407,816 bales. In Pakistan, total 13 ginning units are still operating..