KARACHI: Pakistan’s cotton output has risen by 11 per cent to 14.871 million bales this season compared to 13.391m bales a year earlier.

According to Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association’s (PCGA) final phutti (seed cotton) report for the current season, Punjab has produced 10.896m bales, showing a growth of 13.14pc over 9.631m bales last season.

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

Cotton analyst Naseem Usman said favourable weather has been a major factor for higher cotton production as no floods or heavy rains were witnessed during the entire plantation season.

However, he was highly concerned about the delay in sowing of next crop (2015-16) because of prolonged rainy season in Punjab and extended winter season in Sindh.

He added that 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, he added.

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.

Exporters have so far purchased 475,174 bales this season 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 lesser stocks of unsold cotton at 227,905 bales over the last season when they held around 407,816 bales. In total, 13 ginning units are still operating in the country.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2015

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