The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) fortnightly report shows that around 9.65 million cotton bales were sourced to the country's ginners by December 1, 2011. According to the report, there has been a 15.47 percent increase in the quantum of cotton reaching the ginneries by December 1, as compared to 8.357 million bales of cotton that reached the ginners during the same period last year.
PCGA chairman Amanullah Qureshi briefed journalists about seed-cotton (phutti) arrivals, sales and unsold stock of cotton. He said that 72,69,048 cotton bales were sold to the textile units and exporters bought 3,42959 bales. Thus, overall 7.612 million bales were traded without TCP participating in the trading activity so far. He said Federal Government is reluctant to allow TCP to procure cotton under the pressure of Aptma. There are 20,38,095 bales, which still remain to be sold, he added.
Aman said that increase in cotton arrival was "merely 15.47 percent". He said total 96,50,102 bales of cotton have been received during this season. This is 12,92,877 bales more than last year, showing an increase of 15.47 percent in the production in spite of unfair weather, flood, diseases and pest attacks in Sindh and monsoon rains in Punjab. He said that 16,81,283 bales were received during the fortnight from November 16 to December 1, 2011.
Aman said that total 1076 ginning factories are operational in Sindh and Punjab. Floods had badly hit the cotton crop in the districts of Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Dadu, Mirpur Khas Sangarh and other areas of Sindh. He said that 42.12 percent cotton was destroyed in Hyderabad, 42.62 percent in Mirpur Khas, 60.57 percent in Sangarh, 49.07 percent in Nawabshah, and 3.25 percent in Naushehro Feroze.
The report shows an increase of 48.05 percent in Multan, 86.04 percent cotton in Lodhran district, 41.15 percent in Khanewal, 108.03 percent in Muzaffargarh, 22.73 percent in Dera Ghazi Khan, 131.69 percent in Rajanpur, 68.53 percent in Vehari, 327.13 percent in Kasur, 43.08 in Toba Tek Singh, 15.97 percent in Faisalabad, 92.65 percent in Mianwali, 110.25 percent in Bhakkar, and 45.81 percent in Sargodha. The unsold stock is 20,38,095 bales, which is more than last year, when unsold stock was 10,80,638. The chairman of PCGA said that Punjab contributed 75,40,302 bales (last year it contributed 52,62,066 bales showing an increase of 43.30 percent), Sindh contributed 21,09,793 bales (against last year's production of 30,95,159 bales showing a decrease of 31.84 percent), and Balochistan 34,800 bales.
District-wise production data showed that Multan contributed 3,95,251 bales, Lodhran 2,70,083 bales, Khanewal 7,70,489 bales, Muzaffargarh 3,40,313 bales, Dera Ghazi Khan 2,64,053 bales, Rajanpur 3,54,444 bales, Layyah 1,99,852 bales, Vehari 7,72,976 bales, Sahiwal 5,29,278 bales, Pakpattan 2,58,090 bales, Okara 42,631 bales, Kasur 27,550 bales, Toba Tek Singh 2,94,450 bales, Faisalabad 106,460 bales, Jhang 1,78,232 bales, Mianwali 1,85,428 bales, Bhakkar 1,32,100 bales, Sargodha 44,400, Rahim Yar Khan 8,38,630 bales, Bahawalpur 7,95,179 bales, and Bahawalnagar 7,40,420 bales. Sindh's district-wise production figures were: Hyderabad 1,74,820 bales, Mirpurkhas 1,33,457 bales, Sanghar 6,53,369 bales, Nawabshah 1,47,425 bales, Naushero Feroze 1,68,159 , Khairpur 1,85,512 bales, Ghotki 2,18,891 bales, Sukkur 2,66,571 bales, and Dadu 22,727 bales, Jamshoro 74,483 , Badin 26,99, and Balochistan added 37,782 bales to the total.
PCGA claimed that 2 million bales were destroyed in floods in Sindh. Policy-makers may hope that bumper cotton crop will help the government make deficiency in other areas, taking the annual growth rate to over 7 percent. The chairman of PCGA reiterated demand to the government to announce relief and bailout package for 250 cotton ginning factories of flood-hit areas.
The report said that the ginners pressed 90,12,361 bales. Only 3,42,959 bales were exported by commercial exporters (who mostly purchased from Punjab), and merely 1,70,559 bales were purchased from Sindh. The textile industry purchased 72,69,048 bales and 20,38,095 bales were available with ginners as unsold stock. He said that cotton trading remained firm amid strong physical price and higher cottonseed prices.