ISLAMABAD: Pak­istan continues to rank among the world’s top five cotton-producing countries, despite recent flooding and a decline in yields, offering some relief to its struggling textile industry, which remains a major source of employment and export earnings.

The United Nations marks Oct 7 as World Cotton Day each year to highlight the importance of cotton in economic development, trade, and poverty reduction. This year’s theme, “The Fabric of Our Lives”, underlines the fibre’s role in sustaining millions of livelihoods globally.

Cotton is the second-most used fibre after polyester, accounting for about 20 per cent of global fibre demand. Around 80pc of cotton is used in apparel, with the remainder in home textiles and industrial goods. Globally, cotton sustains 24 million growers and supports over 100m families. In developing countries, it remains a critical source of income and export earnings.

In Pakistan, cotton is primarily grown in Punjab and Sindh, with the federal government now promoting production in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Punjab accounts for 68.5pc of national output. An estimated 1.5m farmers grow cotton, with over 90pc cultivating less than five hectares.

More than 40pc of the industrial workforce is linked to textiles, with the sector contributing 8pc to GDP and earning 60pc of the country’s foreign exchange. It employs nearly 10m people and comprises 1,050 ginneries, 430 textile mills, and 350 cottonseed crushers and oil refiners.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2025