The Cotton Production 2024 outlook is alarming, with a staggering 60% drop in cotton output across Punjab and Sindh by 31 August 2024. This drastic decline has set off alarm bells within the textile sector, which now faces the daunting task of fulfilling its lint needs through costly imports, thereby depleting precious foreign exchange reserves.
Industry experts are grappling with a discrepancy of over 0.3 million bales between the figures reported by Punjab’s Crop Reporting Service (CRS) and the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA), causing confusion regarding future procurement strategies.
The PCGA’s data reveals that by August 31, approximately 1.226 million bales had reached ginning factories nationwide, marking a sharp 60% decrease compared to the 3.04 million bales produced during the same period last year. This shortfall in Cotton Production 2024 is attributed to several factors, including a decline in early sowing, a prolonged heatwave, heavy August rains, pest infestations, reduced crop acreage, and a lack of government intervention and support for research and development.
Sindh’s cotton production fell by 61% to 0.773 million bales, while Punjab recorded a 58% drop, with only 0.453 million bales reaching ginning factories. In contrast, the Punjab CRS claims that 0.759 million bales were harvested, a reduction of over 30% compared to the previous year.
Dr. Abdul Qayyum, Director-General of Punjab CRS, explained that their calculations are based on farm-level data, showing a slight increase in boll weight this season. However, only 46% of the cotton area has been picked so far, compared to 63% last year.
Sajid Mahmood from the Central Cotton Research Institute attributes the continuous decline in cotton output since 2016 to insufficient funding for research and development, exacerbated by the lack of support from both the textile industry and the government. This neglect has severely impacted the Cotton Production 2024 and the overall economy.
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The difference in production data between the PCGA and CRS has sparked debates within the industry. Cotton Ginners Forum chairman Ihsanul Haq compared the situation to the disputed election results of Forms 45 and 47, highlighting the significant impact of recent heavy rains on both the quantity and quality of the crop.
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As a result, textile millers have turned to imports, purchasing 1.171 million bales compared to 2.615 million bales during the same period last year. Pakistani spinners have already signed import deals for 1.6 million bales, with further negotiations ongoing due to the anticipated shortfall in local Cotton Production 2024.
