Cotton Supply Plummets by Nearly 50% as Ginners Receive 3.1 Million Bales
— October 18, 2024
MULTAN (AIA) Pakistan’s ginning factories received over 3.1 million bales of seed cotton (phutti) by October 15, 2024, marking a significant 48.27% decline compared to the same period last year, according to a fortnightly report released by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) on Friday.
Of the total arrivals, more than 2.7 million (2,736,449) bales have been processed, converted into usable cotton. Punjab recorded a sharp decline, with 1,185,647 bales arriving at ginneries, down by 53.38% compared to 2,543,100 bales in the corresponding period last year. In Sindh, arrivals were down 44.51%, with 1,916,096 bales received, compared to 3,452,986 bales last year. Balochistan contributed 94,850 bales to the national total.
The textile sector remains the primary buyer, having purchased 2,590,977 bales, while exporters and traders acquired 3,200 bales. The report noted that the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has not yet started procuring cotton for the 2024-25 season. As of mid-October, 507,566 bales remain unsold, with 536 ginning factories currently operational across the country.