10.7 million cotton bales reach ginneries, arrivals down by 6.9 percent

April 3, 2019: Seed cotton equivalent to 10.77 or 10,772,306 bales have reached ginneries across Pakistan till April 1, 2019, registering a shortfall by 6.9 per cent compared to corresponding period of last year.

Out of total arrivals, over 10.76 million or 10,769,139 bales have undergone the ginning process, says a report by Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) issued on Wednesday.

Arrivals in Punjab were recorded at over 6.622 million or 6,622,913 bales showing a 9.50 per cent shortfall and over 4 million or 4,149,393 bales in Sindh registering 2.45 per cent shortfall compared to corresponding period of last year.

Total sold out bales were recorded at over 9.9 million or 9,963,111 bales including over 9.8 million or 9,860,781 bales bought by textile mills and another 102,330 bales purchased by exporters.

As many as 809,195 bales were still lying with the ginneries as unsold stock.

Sanghar district of Sindh continued to remain on top with cotton arrival figures of over 1.28 million or 1,289,369 bales while Rahimyar Khan District of Punjab secured second berth with arrival figure of 1.19 million or 1,193,298 bales and Bahawalnagar stood third with just over a million or precisely 1,007,221 bales. The statistics show the shortfall was witnessed in 25 cotton districts out of total 32 including 18 out of total 21 in Punjab and seven out of total eleven cotton districts in Sindh.

Only eight ginning factories were now operational in the country including seven in Punjab and one in Sindh. However, 28 factories were operational during corresponding period of last year including 22 in Punjab and six in Sindh.

(APP)