Cotton Arrivals Plunge to 40-Year Low

Cotton arrivals in Pakistan plunged to a 40-year low as of September 15, 2024, down by 64 percent, according to the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA). Total arrivals this year stand at 1.434 million bales compared to 3.933 million bales during the same period last year. The last two weeks saw just 0.208 million bales arriving, down 77 percent from 0.892 million bales last year. Punjab reported only 0.538 million bales compared to 1.544 million last year. Sindh fared better, reporting 0.895 million bales—66 percent more than Punjab’s total. Exports look bad as only 400 bales have so far been sold to traders, and unsold stock has dropped to 25,516 bales from 132,128 last year. Interestingly, six districts reported no cotton arrivals. Rahim Yar Khan saw a staggering 96 percent decline in arrivals due to underreporting by ginners and crop damage from adverse weather. Some farmers attributed the decline to climate change, poor-quality seeds, high input costs, and pest infestations. Many farmers have shifted to crops like sugarcane and maize due to these challenges. The government has been called in to address these issues or risk losing cotton farming as a priority for many growers.