Over 33% decline in cotton arrivals last year: cotton ginners

LAHORE: Pakistan has witnessed over 33 percent drop in cotton arrivals upto December 31, last year, the cotton ginners body said.

According to the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association, the total cotton arrivals in country stood at 5.452 million bales, compared to 8,171,082 bales in the previous year, thus an overall decline of 33.27% in cotton production in 2024.

Punjab and Sindh witnessed steep drop in the crop’s output. Overall 2.719 million bales down from the previous year.

In Punjab, cotton production was limited to 2,659,000 bales, indicating a significant decrease of 34.81% compared to the 4,078,769 bales produced last year. In Sindh, cotton production also saw a decline of 31.74%, with 2,793,422 bales produced in 2024, down from 4,092,313 bales in 2023.

The report highlights a considerable reduction in cotton production in 2024. To
meet the textile industry’s demands, over $2 billion worth of cotton will need to be imported, placing a significant burden on the national exchequer.