KARACHI: Higher arrivals of phutti (seed cotton) during the third and the last picking, when the flow normally starts slowing down, have helped the country produce 14.785 million bales so far, a growth of 10.59 per cent compared to 13.369m bales in the same period last year.
During March 1-15 fortnight, 79,942 bales reached ginneries from cotton fields compared to 40,960 bales in the comparable period of last year.
Official figures released by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) on Wednesday showed that due to sustained arrival of phutti, around 98 ginning units are still operating in Punjab and 14 in Sindh as against 39 and three, respectively, last year.
Punjab has so far produced 10.814m bales, showing a growth of 12.49pc (1.2m bales) over 9.614m bales in the same period last year.
Sindh also recorded higher production at 3.971m bales, or 10.47pc (355,965) more bales compared to 3.755m a year earlier.
Consumption remained high as both exporters and spinners purchased higher quantity of cotton this season. Exporters have lifted 473,337 bales compared to 369,673 bales a year ago.
The textile industry also purchased substantially higher quantity at 13.572m bales compared with 12.148m bales.
Depleted unsold stocks held by ginners at 644,986 are worrying spinners who feel they may face shortage of raw cotton during the current season. Ginners had around 851,320 unsold bales during the same period last year.
The long spell of rains in Punjab and extended winter season in Sindh have delayed new cotton crop sowing by around three to four weeks. It suggests that arrival of phutti from new crop would start by end-July.
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