Cotton output falls 17pc amid Punjab slump

Cotton arrivals in Pakistan dropped 17 per cent year-on-year to 887,400 bales as of Aug 15, primarily due to a sharp decline in Punjab’s output, raising concerns over the country’s domestic production outlook. According to data rel­ea­sed by the Pakistan Cot­ton Ginners Association (PCGA) on Monday, Pun­jab — once showing a 3pc increase in arrivals by July 31 — witnessed a re­­v­ersal by mid-August, with arrivals now 6pc lower than the same period last year. In contrast, Sindh, which was lagging 47pc behind last year’s figures at end-July, has narrowed its shortfall to 24pc. Industry attribute the slump to recent rains, which have da­­­­maged quality, re­­ducing demand from textile mills and forcing many ginning factories to halt op­­erations. Ihsanul Haq, Chair­­­­man of the Cot­ton Gin­­ners Forum, remains hopeful that with improved conditions, ginning activity in Punjab will resume soon.