MULTAN,Jan 3rd: Unsold stock of cotton reached to an alarming count of 17,44,124 bales worth Rs.53 billion and ginners are facing financial crunch and unable to repay the bank loans. On the other hand ,Textile Mills are pressing the Government to import the cotton from India and central asian states when country requires foreign exchange for debt servicing, said Haji Muhammad Akram Chairman of Ginners group, Shehzad Ali Khan, Mehr Muhammad Ashraf (Convener) Malik Talat Suhail and Salman Maqbool while briefing about the cotton arrival till January Ist,2019.They told that Seed cotton (Phutti) equivalent to over 1,02,73,866 bales of cotton have reached ginneries across Pakistan as of Jan Ist,showing a decrease of 7.52 per cent compared to corresponding period last year when ginneries received 1,11,08,719 bales. According to the 8th fortnightly report of Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) issued with the approval of three member committee comprising Mehr Muhammad Ashraf (Convener) Malik Talat Suhail and Salman Maqbool here today.It is said that 3,11,209 bales of cotton received during this fortnight. Out of the total arrivals. Ginneries in Punjab recorded arrival of 61,62,706 bales against the last year arrival of 68,95,752 bales showing a decrease of 10.63per cent. Sindh ginneries recorded arrival of 41,11,160 bales while last year Sindh received 42,13,262 bales 2.42 % less as compared to corresponding period last year.Textile mills have bought 95,58,190 bales while exporters bought 2,14,710 bales. The total bales sold out so far were calculated at 97,72,900 bales. While 117,44,214 bales are lying unsold .Multan received 2,32,500 bales 15.55 % decrease than last year, Lodhran 1,30,642 bales 15.84 % decrease, Khanewal 5,00,528 bales a decrease of 26.16%, Muzaffargarh 3,18,784 bales a decrease of 5.61 %, Dera Ghazi Khan 4,58,352 an increase of 7.33 %, Rajanpur 4,17,344 bales, 5.22% decrease, Layyah 2,33,918 bales 20.94.% decrease, Vehari 4,19,517 bales 24.91 % decrease, Sahiwal 2,00,718 bales 21.70 % less than last year, Pakpattan 19,274 bales 48.75 % decrease, Okara 12,600 bales- 21.13 % short, Toba Tek Singh 1,42,419 bales, 12.06 % decrease , Faisalabad 30,522 bales 15.54 % less than last year, Jhang 14,600 showing a decrease of 32.45 %, Mianwali 92,615 a decrease of 55.65 % , Bhakkar 30,498 (62.74 % less) Sargodha (Figures not received), Rahim yar Khan 11,39,606 bales (12.79 % increase), Bahawalpur 8,96,585 a decrease of 7.33 %,and Bahawalnagar 8,77,676 an increase of 0.59 %. In Sindh province: Hyderabad 2,24,816 bales 9.39 % less than last year,Mirpur Khas (Thar) 1,20,163 bales 45.44 % less, Sangarh ,12,72,975 bales 7.31 % decrease, Nawabshah 3,77,079 bales (9.57 % increase), Naushero Feroze 3,62,055 bales (0.55 % increase), Khairpur 3,66,359 1,564 (11.48 % increase) Ghotki 4,29,722 (18.86 % increase),Sukkur 6,06,749 (6.38% increase), Dadu 65,500 (5.14 % increase), Jamshoro 1,00,991bales (22.26 % less) ,Badeen 4,400 bales 74.62 % less) and Baluchistan 1,13,825 bales (a decrease of 2.13%). Total 513 ginning factories are operational in the country.Of them 365 in Punjab and 148 in Sindh.Total 18,07,908 bales are lying in unsold stock.They told that the data was collected with joint cooperation of PCGA, APTMA and KCA. The Cotton Crop Assessment Committee (CCAC) may revise cotton production estimates to 10.5 million bales of 170kg each for this season, down from earlier projections of 10.87m bales.The predictions dashed all hopes of harvesting a bumper cotton crop in 2018-19.The country’s overall cotton production has deteriorated over the years in turn affecting the gross domestic product. The country’s last bumper cotton crop of 14.9m bales was harvested in 2013-14.Under the revision, production in Sindh is expected to witness a shortfall of merely 0.1 million bales to 0.12m bales. The province produced 4.253m bales in last season. Production estimates for Balochistan were also revised upward to 0.15m, which is lower than the last year’s output. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is expected to produce around 0.02m bales.The country’s cotton production has been under stress during the last four years as country mainly because of adverse effects of climate change and shortage of irrigation water and partly due lack of attention to the declining output from the successive governments.
