LAHORE: Cotton arrivals at ginning factories across Pakistan rose 7.53 per cent year-on-year to 4.081 million bales as of October 15, 2026, up from 3.796 million bales a year earlier, according to the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA).
The increase amounts to 285,628 bales, said Sajid Mahmood, head of the Transfer of Technology Department at the Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) in Multan.
Punjab received 1,638,497 bales, up 118,402 bales (7.79 per cent). Sindh received 2,442,768 bales, up 167,226 bales (7.35 per cent).
In Punjab, Bahawalnagar led with 418,750 bales, followed by Bahawalpur (294,606), Dera Ghazi Khan (236,514), Rahim Yar Khan (169,949) and Layyah (122,327).
In Sindh, Sanghar was well ahead with 1,137,903 bales, followed by Sukkur (264,500), Naushahro Feroze (223,200) and Khairpur (213,900).
A total of 471 ginning factories were operating nationwide. About 3.549 million bales had been sold, mostly to textile mills, with exporters and traders buying the rest. Unsold stocks stood at 531,530 bales, while arrivals in the preceding fortnight totalled 872,863 bales.
Mahmood said an estimated 15 to 20 days of picking remained and stressed that timely harvesting and careful handling were vital to protect output, lint quality and farmers’ incomes.
CCRI Multan experts advised growers whose fields still have eight to ten green bolls per plant to spray a solution of two kilograms of urea per 100 litres of water to encourage boll opening. Farmers without pheromone traps should watch for pink bollworm and consult agricultural experts on control measures. He also urged growers not to delay picking mature bolls, to harvest in dry weather, and to shield seed cotton from soil, dust and other contaminants.
Mahmood said the sector’s troubles could not be solved by improving seed quality or per-acre yield alone. Reviving cotton cultivation, he said, requires a comprehensive policy framework that addresses farmers’ net profits, production costs, market access, lint quality and price volatility. He cautioned that if cotton continues to yield lower net returns than competing crops, farmers may cut the area under cotton or switch crops next season. He called for better varieties, improved crop management, efficient water use, stronger integrated pest management and lower production costs, along with better opportunities for farmers to get fair prices for quality produce.
The success of revival efforts, Mahmood said should not be judged only by the volume reaching ginning factories. Policymakers should also look at net income per acre and cotton’s profitability relative to other crops. Unless farmers’ economic interests are placed at the centre of policymaking, he added, raising cotton acreage and securing adequate local raw material for the textile industry will remain difficult.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Comments