MULTAN: Seed cotton (Phutti) equivalent to 9.72 million or 9,727,771 bales have reached ginneries across Pakistan till March 1, 2016 registering a shortfall of 33.85 per cent compared to corresponding period of last year.
According to a fortnightly report of Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) issued here Thursday, out of total arrivals, Phutti equivalent to 9,712,065 or 9.71 million bales has undergone the ginning process.
The arrivals at Punjab ginneries was recorded at over 5.96 million or 5,961,734 bales recording a percentage decrease of 44.50 per cent compared to corresponding period of last year.
Arrivals at ginneries in Sindh was recorded at 3.766 million or 3,766,037 bales showing a percentage decrease of exactly 5.0 per cent.
Textile Mills have purchased 8.54 million or 8,546,660 bales while exporters have bought 361,241 bales. Total sold out bales were calculated at 8.9 million or 8,907,901 bales.
Exactly 819,870 bales were still lying with the ginneries as the unsold stock, the report said. The statistics show that all the 21 cotton producing district of Punjab and seven out of eleven from Sindh suffered reduction in cotton production. In Punjab districts, cotton production showed reduction from 20.59 to 73.84 per cent and in Sindh, it remained between 0.36 to 42.15 per cent.
The districts in Sindh where cotton shortfall was observed included Hyderabad, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, Dadu, Nawab Shah, Badin and Jamshoro. Remaining four districts of Sindh including Naushero Feroze, Khairpur, Ghotki, and Sukkur showed increase in production from 7.93 to 41.74 per cent.
Despite overall production downfall and registering production lower by 10.64 per cent, the district Sanghar maintained its top position up till now as over 1.34 million or 1,346,564 bales have reached ginneries in the district till Mar 1, 2016.
Rahimyar Khan district of Punjab stood second production wise by recording arrival of over 1.1 million or 1,113,630 bales.
According to PCGA, only 40,653 bales reached ginneries during the last fortnight, that was far behind the fortnightly flow of over 100,000 bales recorded during corresponding period of last year.
Moreover, only 47 ginning factories were operational in the country due to slower Phutti arrival.
