Cotton production tumbles 34pc

Phutti arrivals at ginning factories kept a promising trend for the third consecutive fortnight, strengthening hopes for harvesting over six million bales this season. Cotton production during the last three fortnights remained 22 per cent higher than last season’s. However, the total arrivals touched 4.894m bales till Nov 15, which is 34pc less year-on-year, according to the data released by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association on Monday. In Punjab, 2.245m bales reached the ginning units, and 2.649m bales in Sindh, showing a fall of 35pc and 33pc, respectively, compared with the data for the last season in the two provinces. The PCGA report said the textile industry procured 4.14m bales from the ginners.