The arrival of cotton at ginneries in Pakistan increased by 11.02 percent year-on-year to 7.606 million bales as on November 1, 2013, according to the consolidated statement of cotton arrivals this season released by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners’ Association (PCGA).
The data shows total cotton arrivals growing by 18.83 percent year-on-year to 3.027 million bales in Sindh province, and by 6.4 percent year-on-year to 4.578 million bales in Punjab province.
Of the total arrival, 6.584 million bales were pressed by ginners and 5.883 million bales were sold, leaving an unsold stock of 701,344 bales with the ginners, as on November 1.
While the textile mills in Pakistan consumed 5.691 million bales, another 191,657 bales of cotton were sold to exporters, the data showed.
In 2012-13 cotton season, Pakistan’s cotton output fell by 12.81 percent year-on-year to 12.915 million bales, compared to the previous season’s production of 14.813 million bales, mainly because of less sowing of the crop.
At present, a total of 817 ginning factories are operational in Punjab compared to 783 ginneries that were operational during the same time last season.
Similarly, 269 ginning units are currently operational in the Sindh region, slightly more than the 258 units that were operating during the corresponding period last year.
In September this year, the PCGA had suggested inclusion of all stakeholders while devising the ‘National Cotton Policy’, which would cover all areas of cotton trade, including fixation of support price, fixing production target, and granting approval for imports.
The PCGA has also suggested that registration of all export contracts with the Export Development Board (EDB) should be made compulsory and exact figures of cotton imports should be furnished to the Textile Ministry and PCGA for incorporating it in crop data released on 1st and 15th of each month.
