Bahawalnagar becomes top cotton producing district

With 11 percent share in overall cotton production, Bahawalnagar has become the largest cotton producing district of the country. According to Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) statistics, ginning factories located in Bahawalnagar produced over 1.418 million cotton bales during cotton season 2013-14. The production in the Bahawalnagar is some 11 percent of the country's total cotton production of 13.39 million bales and some 15 percent of Punjab's production, which is 9.6 million bales.
Previously, Sanghar (Sindh) was the leading cotton producing district of the country. However, this year Bahawalnagar has beaten Sanghar by producing more cotton bales. Presently, Sanghar is ranked number two, as its cotton production stood at 1.40 million bales during this season. "Bahawalnagar has not only become the country's largest cotton producing district but it has also the honour of starting ginning process first across the country, as cotton cultivation was started in February or March 2013 in different parts of the district," Ihsan-ul-Haq, a leading cotton trader, said. With an increase of some 4 percent, the country produced 13.39 million bales during cotton season 2013-2014, he informed.
"Since 1947 to 2010 Rahimyar Khan was the leading cotton producing district, however from the last few years cotton production is declining due to rising number of sugar mills in the district," Haq said. Despite a ban on new sugar mill, two new sugar mills have been set up in the district, while the existing three sugar mills have massively enhanced their production capacity, he added.
Presently, Rahimyar Khan is producing some 0.55 million bales as sugarcane production has changed the natural climate that increases the attack of Cotton Leaf Curl on cotton crop, he informed. Haq said that this year some 12.46 million bales had been procured by textile mills, while about 0.4 million bales had been purchased by exporters. Talking about cotton prices, he informed that for the last few month cotton prices are almost stable and presently Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) rate stood at Rs 6,550 per maund.