Pakistan’s cotton production has registered an increase of 44% to 7.27 million bales in the current season (June-December 2021) mainly due to conducive weather conditions.
The improved yield has enhanced supply of the commodity to textile exporters of the country.
Pakistan had produced 5.05 million bales in the same period of last year (June-December 2020), according to data released by Pakistan Cotton Ginners’ Association (PCGA) on Saturday.
The association reported the average weight of one bale at 155 kg. The production season is nearing its end.
“We estimate additional production of around 50,000 bales in the current season,” said former PCGA chairman Jassu Mal Leemani “However, total production will not be more than 7.3 million bales.”
The full-year output projected by PCGA is much lower than the revised projection of the government at 9.5 million bales.
The domestic demand for cotton from textile mills (yarn manufacturers) is estimated at around 16 million bales. Accordingly, they are estimated to import a huge quantity that will be far more than what the country has produced in the current season.
Cotton is a major input in textile production. Textile sector is the largest export earner in the country, as it fetches around 60% of the total annual earnings and helps maintain foreign exchange reserves of the country.
Timely rainfall in September has enhanced the cotton output this year. “Last year, untimely rainfall in August damaged almost 2 million bales in Sindh alone,” Leemani said.
“Accordingly, the country ended up with a decades-low cotton production (after 1983-84) at 5.64 million bales in 2020-21,” Leemani said.
