LAHORE: The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) released its latest data on cotton production, revealing a significant year-over-year decline. As of November 1, 2024, Pakistan’s cotton arrivals total 4,291,105 bales, a sharp 36.84% drop from the 6,794,006 bales reported on the same date last year.
In Punjab, production has decreased to 1,842,257 bales from last year’s 2,996,921, reflecting a 38.53% decline. Sindh’s production stands at 2,448,848 bales, down by 35.51% from last year’s 3,797,085 bales, while Balochistan has recorded a production of 131,800 bales to date.
Head of Technology Transfer Department, Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan Sajid Mahmood said that the primary factors contributing to this substantial decline in production include climate change, pest infestations (notably whitefly and pink bollworm), and critically low research funding.
Extreme and irregular weather patterns—such as unseasonably low temperatures in February and March, followed by intense heat in May and June—have severely disrupted the planting and growth phases, weakening early development. Optimal soil temperatures for early cotton sowing are at least 20°C; however, this year, temperatures in February and March dropped below 15°C, impacting germination.
Pakistan’s textile exporter slashes production amid cotton shortage, rising costs
Furthermore, monsoon storms in Punjab and Sindh damaged cotton crops across millions of acres. These challenges were compounded by pest attacks, with whitefly and pink bollworm significantly reducing yields. The extreme temperatures in June and July, reaching 48°C and peaking at 54°C in felt temperatures, further hampered fruit production.
He pointed out that another critical factor in the production decline is the chronic under funding of research and development in cotton. The textile industry, which plays a pivotal role in financing cotton research through the cotton cess, has withheld payments since 2016, resulting in a severe funding shortfall for the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC).
This financial crisis has hindered essential research projects and the development of advanced technologies. Consequently, efforts to create high-yielding, disease-resistant cotton varieties have been impacted, posing challenges for the agricultural sector and putting farmers’ livelihoods at risk.
Some analysts also note a rise in the number of unregistered cotton (gol maal) bales in 2024 compared to last year, a trend that warrants closer examination.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024