Cotton production rises 10 percent to 10.7 million bales, 2017-18 target may not be achieved

Cotton production for year 2016-17 ended with a total output rising by 10 percent to 10.7 million bales, said Cotton Ginners Forum.

Cotton production appreciated from last year’s level of 9.7 million bales, but the production was higher because during 2015-16 fiscal year registered a massive shortfall of 34 percent a year ago. The cotton production has not shown sign of any significant improvement. During the next fiscal year, the Federal Cotton Committee set a target of 14.4 million bales, which according to Ahsanul Haq, chairman Cotton Ginners Forum appeared to be unachievable. Because of couple of factors, the target won’t be achieved, as the farmers are facing acute water shortages both in Punjab and Sindh.

Moreover, he said Punjab government asked farmers to sow cotton from April 15, which forced the farmers to grow sun flower and Maize as they could kept the land barren. However, after repeated suggests and recommendation date was revised to April 1, but the decision came late as farmers have harvested several other minor crops. “For several years, the Federal Cotton Committee sets target of 14 million bales, but whenever first meeting of Cotton Assessment Committee held, the target trimmed by one million bales, so it is difficult to estimate but the cotton production may range between 10 to 11 million bales in 2017-18”, said a cotton analyst