LAHORE: Cotton arrivals in Pakistan have dropped by over 33% as of December 31, 2024, according to the Cotton Ginners Association.
The total cotton arrivals in the country amounted to 5.452 million bales, compared to 8,171,082 bales in the previous year, reflecting a decline of 33.27% in cotton production.
Both Punjab and Sindh saw a sharp decrease in cotton output. The total production dropped by 2.719 million bales compared to the previous year.
In Punjab, cotton production stood at 2,659,000 bales, marking a significant 34.81% decline from 4,078,769 bales in 2023. Sindh also experienced a 31.74% decrease, with 2,793,422 bales produced in 2024, down from 4,092,313 bales the previous year.
This reduction in cotton production in 2024 is expected to require over $2 billion in cotton imports to meet the textile industry’s demands, imposing a significant financial burden on the national economy.
