Pakistan cotton arrivals rise 27% to 1.7mn bales as Sindh leads gains

Cotton arrivals at ginneries across Pakistan rose 27% to 1.696 million bales as of Aug. 31, up from 1.336 million bales a year earlier, according to data released by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA). Sindh drove most of the increase, contributing nearly two-thirds of the national total, while Punjab also posted double-digit growth.

How much did Pakistan cotton arrivals increase this season?

Pakistan cotton arrivals climbed to 1.696 million bales by Aug. 31, a 27% rise over last year's 1.336 million bales. The figures were compiled jointly by the PCGA and the Karachi Cotton Association. Sindh alone supplied 1.139 million bales, roughly two-thirds of the total, while Punjab contributed 557,097 bales.

Which regions led Pakistan's cotton arrivals?

Punjab recorded 557,097 bales of arrivals, up 19.66% from 465,570 bales a year earlier. Sindh recorded 1.139 million bales, an increase of 30.95% from 870,062 bales, and accounted for roughly two-thirds of the national total. Sanghar emerged as the largest producing district in the country, with 757,845 bales.

Other Sindh districts also posted gains. Hyderabad recorded 75,085 bales, Mirpur Khas 39,135 bales, Nawabshah 47,300 bales and Nausharo Feroze 39,400 bales. Khairpur saw the sharpest jump, rising 139.32% to 28,000 bales.

In Punjab, Bahawalpur recorded 64,326 bales, up 161.13% from a year earlier, while Bahawalnagar posted 65,331 bales, an increase of 85.28%. Dera Ghazi Khan recorded 110,102 bales, up 60.93%, according to the PCGA data.

How much cotton did textile mills purchase in Pakistan?

Of the total arrivals, ginners pressed 1.583 million bales, while 73,000 bales were sold to exporters and traders. Textile mills purchased 1.465 million bales, the data showed. The figures suggest domestic mills remain the primary buyers of the season's crop.

What is the unsold cotton stock in Pakistan?

Total unsold stock stood at 158,569 bales as of August 31, comprising 45,112 pressed bales and 113,457 unpressed cotton bales. That figure was down from 200,700 bales recorded a year earlier. The lower unsold stock points to stronger offtake despite the higher volume of arrivals.

How many ginning factories are operating in Pakistan?

The PCGA said 332 factories were operational across the country as of August 31. Arrivals during the latest fortnight stood at 582,938 bales, compared with 448,231 bales in the corresponding period last year. That marks a substantial increase in the flow of the crop to ginning factories.

The latest data show Pakistan's cotton crop is entering the ginning chain at a considerably faster pace than last year, with Sindh accounting for most of the increase. The PCGA publishes consolidated cotton arrival data based on information collected from ginning factories across Pakistan.