Pakistan’s Cotton Production Sees 40% Surge Amid Floods and Rainfall

Pakistan’s cotton production has shown a significant recovery, rising by 40% year-on-year to reach 2.004 million bales by September 15, according to the latest data from the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) released.

This growth, achieved despite prolonged rainfall and flooding in key cotton-growing areas, offers a promising outlook for the country’s agricultural sector, with hopes of reducing the import bill for raw cotton and edible oil.

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The PCGA report revealed that ginning factories in Punjab processed 690,000 bales, marking a 28% increase from the previous year. Sindh, the country’s largest cotton-producing province, reported a more substantial rise of 47%, with 1.314 million bales reaching ginneries. The overall increase signals a potential early recovery for the cotton sector, which has struggled with multiple challenges in recent years.

Ihsan-ul-Haq, Chairman of the Cotton Ginners Forum, attributed the positive results to several factors, including early sowing across Punjab, higher temperatures that accelerated boll development, and a marked increase in production from Sindh. These factors, combined with improved weather conditions in certain regions, have led to a bounce back in cotton yields.

Market activity has also picked up in response to the improved cotton production. Textile mills have purchased 1.652 million bales, an increase of about 300,000 bales compared to the previous year. Exporters have acquired 26,400 bales, signaling a recovery in the domestic supply chain and boosting confidence in the market.

In Punjab, the number of active ginning factories has doubled, reaching 212 compared to last year. Sindh has 216 active units, an increase of 30 compared to the previous year. Sanghar, in Sindh, led production with 779,000 bales, while Vehari in Punjab followed with 114,000 bales.

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However, despite the positive developments, industry stakeholders remain concerned over discrepancies in cotton production estimates. While the PCGA reported Punjab’s output at 690,000 bales as of September 15, the Punjab Crop Reporting Service (CRS) has placed the figure significantly higher, at 1.715 million bales as of September 18.

Mr. Haq stated that a clearer picture of the total cotton output for the 2025-26 season will emerge by mid-October, once the early harvesting is completed and the full impact of recent floods can be assessed.