Cotton production jumps 32 per cent

Cotton production in Pakistan has surged by 32 per cent year-on-year, with phutti arrivals at ginning factories reaching 785,822 bales by July 31. This increase was primarily driven by a significant 67 per cent rise in Sindh, despite a slight decline in Punjab. The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) reported that Punjab's arrivals stood at 298,150 bales, down 1.1 per cent from the previous year, while Sindh recorded a record 487,672 bales, marking a 66.82 per cent increase.

The rise in Sindh can be attributed to timely sowing, harvesting, and improved crop management, particularly in its coastal areas. However, the discrepancy between the PCGA figures and the Punjab government's Crop Reporting Service (CRS) highlights a discrepancy in cotton production estimates, with the CRS reporting a significantly lower production figure.

This shift in cotton cultivation, coupled with the expansion of sugarcane farming, has led to a reliance on imports of both cotton and edible oil.

Brief written by urgent.news from Dawn Business's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.