Pakistan’s Cotton Exports to Cross 6 Figures After 5 Years

Pakistan has successfully exported at least 125,000 cotton bales during the current season, primarily destined for China, Vietnam, and Indonesia. All deals were secured by a single cotton ginner from Sindh, Dr. Jasso Mal, reported a national daily. The current season’s cotton export volume is a significant improvement, and hopes are high for maintaining a similar quantity in the upcoming period. Ginners attribute today’s positive shift to the combination of better lint quality and favorable international markets, attracting foreign buyers to Pakistani cotton. Cotton Ginners Forum Chairman Ihsanul Haq highlighted the improvement in crop quality due to a lack of traditional rains in most cotton-growing areas. Meanwhile, the rupee devaluation has made local cotton much more competitive. While cotton exports may have set a record, challenges in Punjab such as a severe whitefly attack leading to a drop in lint yield, and environmental pollution, have impacted the overall potential. The Cotton Ginners Forum Chairman urged the government to reconsider imposing heavy taxes on the textile sector, citing the industry’s struggle with unprecedented gas and electricity tariffs, as well as high mark-up rates. He expressed concern over the functionality of 60% of textile mills and fears that the local industry may struggle to consume even nine million bales of cotton. The previous seasons were poor, with only 4,900 bales in 2022-23, 16,000 bales in 2021-22, and 70,200 bales in 2020-21.