Poor water management, pest attacks, rainfall and weather conditions played their due parts in lower production of cotton as farmers preferred to grow other cash crops after they failed to get good price for cotton last year. As the result cotton production remained 13 percent below the set target for the fiscal 2013-14.

According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), it was projected to produce 12.3 million bales of cotton (of 170 kilogram each) in FY14, the production is approximately 13 percent lower than the government target of 14.1 million bales.

In the post sowing period (of cotton), conditions were not ideal: germination suffered due to the poor quality seeds, and later, standing crop struggled with pest attacks, rains and high temperatures.

However, a strong recovery in Sindh and Balochistan over the previous year more than offset the lower production in the Punjab.

Dr Ibrahim Mughal, chairman of Agri Forum of Pakistan, said that lower availability of water at the time of sowing has brought down the cotton production. Also lower cultivation was seen mainly in Punjab.