Pakistan likely to see rise in cotton output during 2016-17

Pakistan cotton crop output likely to improve during this season (2016-17). However, there is not doubt that It would remain lower side but better compared to previous season (2015-16) mainly due to favourable weather conditions.

According to the feedback from the growers, it is being projected that Pakistan’s cotton crop is expected to be 10.6 million bales (1bales = 155kg) slightly higher than 9.7 million in the last year, traders and experts said.

Pakistan’s Cotton Crop Assessment Committee (CCAC), in the first week of this month, has already revised cotton production target downward side and estimating a cotton crop of 10.54 million bales (1 bale = 155 kg) in this season against actual target of 14.1 million. CCAC has revised cotton crop estimates for the third time during this season.

The cotton prices were also expected to rebound in the coming month due to higher demand of quality cotton and ginners were also likely to offload improved quality cotton in the market in January, traders added.

The United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) had also predicted that Pakistan’s cotton crop would rebound 18 percent during that season. USDA recent report on Cotton and Wool Outlook stated that Pakistan’s crop is projected at nearly 8.3 million bales (1 bale = 480 pounds) in 2016-17, an 18-percent rebound from a 2015-16 crop that was the countries lowest since 1998-99.

Although 2016-17 area was forecast at a three-decade low, crop conditions appeared to have been favourable that season as the yield was projected at 748 kg per hectare, one of the top yields on record for Pakistan, it added.

As per the traders, shortfall in cotton crop would result in higher import of raw cotton to meet the domestic demand. Although, Pakistan is among the leading cotton producing countries, however from the last few years its cotton production is on downward side and declined drastically to 9.7 million bales in 2015-16. They have suggested that some serious measures needs to be taken for higher cotton crop output thereby reducing import bill.