Cotton production has declined by 22.95 percent as the arrival recorded at ginneries as on September 1 stood at 9,95,191 bales, showing a decrease of 22.95 percent over the corresponding period of the last year when ginneries received 12,91,550 bales.
According to the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association's (PCGA) fortnightly report released on Thursday, Punjab - the major cotton producing province - contributed 4,88,548 bales to take the total to 9,95,191 bales. District-wise production data showed that Multan contributed 3,796 bales; Lodhran (2,300 bales); Khanewal (73,411 bales); Muzaffargarh (0 bales due to flood); Dera Ghazi Khan (0. bales); Rajanpur (0 bales); Layyah (0 bales); Vehari (1,21,803 bales); Sahiwal (96,075 bales); Pakpattan (56,073 bales); Okara (11,150 bales); Kasur (900 bales); Toba Tek Singh (29,000 bales); Faisalabad (18,140 bales); Jhang (6,900 bales); Mianwali (0 bales due to flood); Bhakkar (0 bales); Rahim Yar Khan (8,100 bales); Bahawalpur (13,700 bales); and Bahawalnagar (46,500 bales).
Sindh's shared in the arrival was 5,06,643 bales. Its district-wise production figures are also very discouraging. The report indicated that Hyderabad shared 68,809 bales, Mirpurkhas (68,167 bales); Sanghar (3,23,818 bales); Nawabshah (25,467 bales); Naushero Feroze (3,555 bales); Khairpur (1,509 bales); Ghotki (0 due to flood bales); Sukkur (0 bales); and Dadu (15,318 bales). Balochistan also added no bales to the total. The arrival recorded so far is the lowest figure Pakistan ever had. PCGA claimed that 2 million bales were devastated in recent floods in Punjab and Sindh.
Policy-makers may hope that bumper cotton crop will help the government make deficiency in other areas, taking the annual growth rates to over 7 percent. PCGA Chairman Haji Muhammad Akram has demanded of the Government for announcement of relief and bail out package for the cotton ginning factories of flood-hit areas and survey of such areas be completed very soon. The report said the ginners pressed 8,86,428 bales. The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) lifted no bale and only 200 bales were exported by commercial exporters which were purchased from Hyderabad. The textile industry purchased 8,46,562 bales and 39,666 bales were available with ginners as unsold stock.