KARACHI, Jan 20: A sustained arrival of phutti during last fortnight (Jan 1 to 15) has further ensured that the size of the crop (2002-2003 season) will be close to the official estimated target of 10.6 million bales.

With higher arrival figures of phutti in both the Punjab and Sindh provinces the prospects for higher cotton production over the last year has been brightened.

According to official figures the phutti arrival during the period under review was higher by 9.11 per cent. This has totally allayed all the apprehensions about any shortfall in the crop.

Though arrival of phutti in Sindh by this time of the season staggers down but it is encouraging it continues to be higher by 2.76 per cent over the corresponding period of last year.

In total, 2.086 million bales have been reported to have reached the ginneries up to Jan 15, 2003, compared to 2.031 million bales in the corresponding period last season.

Similarly, in Punjab where crop matures much latter than that of Sindh, the arrival of phutti continues to be normally high by 11.12 per cent. In total 7.105 million bales are reported to have reached the ginneries as against 6.394 million bales recorded in the corresponding period last year.

However, if lower arrival figures of last fortnight are taken into account it tells a different story, particularly when the shortfall is as high as 116,027 bales at 455,272 bales compared to 571,299 bales recorded in the same period last season.

The unsold stocks lying with ginneries are lesser at 1.953 million bales up to Jan 15, 2003, compared to 2.056 million bales held by them in the same period last year.

There is higher off-take by the textile industry of the raw cotton and in total 7.238 million bales have been purchased by the industry so far compared to 6.239 million bales in the corresponding period last year.

The private exporters have also lifted more cotton this year compared to the same period last year. In total 83,476 bales have been purchased by exporters as against 11,739 bales last year.