Pakistan’s Cotton Output Falls by Massive 41%

Pakistan’s cotton output decreased by 41 percent year-on-year (YoY), according to the latest fortnightly data released by the Pakistan Cotton Ginner’s Association (PCGA) on Thursday. Total cotton arrivals in Pakistan slid to 3.708 million bales as of November 1, 2022, compared to 6.257 million bales in the corresponding period last year, recording a difference of 2.549 million bales and a drop of 41 percent. As per the PCGA data, cotton arrivals reported a substantial decline in both cotton-producing provinces of Punjab and Sindh due to flash floods that ruined agriculture As of November 1, cotton arrivals in Punjab were 2.07 million bales compared to 2.94 million bales in the same period last year, a decrease of 0.87 million bales or 29 percent. On a fortnightly basis, cotton arrivals recorded an increase of 34 percent as compared to 1.55 million on October 1. Similarly, cotton arrivals in Sindh reached 1.64 million bales as of November 1 compared to 3.32 million bales reported in the same period last year, a massive decline of 1.68 million bales or 51 percent. Conversely, on a fortnightly basis, cotton arrivals recorded an increase of 18 percent as compared to 1.39 million bales on October 1. Overall, Pakistan’s cotton production is expected to decline by nearly half in the current year, especially in Sindh and Balochistan where crops were heavily damaged. According to the Ministry of Food Security, the recent floods damaged 40 percent of crops in the country, with cotton alone suffering a loss of Rs. 2.29 trillion.