Page 17 - TEXtalks. September-October 2022

Cotton, the main fiber that
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feeds the textile industry, Production

forecast is lowered by 19.4%

Cotton is the main fiber that feeds our textile sector. made from Pakistani cotton. Import from India is
Around 70 percent of the textile products we banned that produces both short staple and
produce are from cotton and only 30 have medium stable cotton.
manmade fiber. Our export products need
short-staple cotton produced in Pakistan. Usually, Punjab produces 70% of the total crop,
while the remaining 30% is produced by Sindh. This
The 2022/23 cotton harvested area in Pakistan year, however, the floods have impacted the harvest.
according to USDA is estimated to be significantly As a result, Punjab is expected to produce around
reduced due to the recent flooding in key production 3.5 million bales while Sindh’s output may reach
areas of Sindh and southern Punjab. As a result, the around 2 million bales, according to former PCGA
2022/23 production forecast is lowered by 19.4 chairman Dr Jassu Mal Leemani. But his estimates
percent to 5 million bales. To replace the expected are optimistic. Punjab might produce 3.5 million
decline in domestic output, the 2022/23 import bales despite crop damage in some parts of South
forecast is increased to 5.8 million bales. Punjab but the harvest of the crop that survives is
good. The production from Sindh might reach 1.5
Cotton produced in Pakistan has short fiber length million bales.
and is best suited for denim and many other
apparels that we export. It is also the best dye-able The industry must import around 6 million bales to
cotton in the world and attracts foreign brands for keep running. This amounts to an additional $4
their colored apparel. About a decade back billion import bill at current global rates of cotton.
Pakistan’s cotton production reached 14 million
bales while its consumption was 16 million bales. Cotton crop failures are now a routine in Pakistan.
The 2 million imports we arranged from the United The country failed to develop any local variety of
States or Brazil produce long-staple cotton. This pest-resistant cotton seeds. No officially approved
long staple fiber was used to produce our famous local or imported BT cotton variety is available. Fake
ladies cotton yarn. With the development of the varieties imported or smuggled invariably ruin large
domestic fashion industry our import of long-staple cotton fields. It is a pity that the per-hectare
and medium-staple cotton has increased. But for production of cotton has declined in Pakistan from a
exports, we badly need our own short staple yarn peak average of 730 kg to less than 600 kg.
which is not available outside the country. A decade
back our value-added apparel exports were less Being the entire world’s most widespread profitable
than our basic textile exports of yarn and fabric. Now crop, action needs to be taken to improve the
it is the other way around. We have developed a production and quality of the main fiber that feeds
niche market for our value-added textile products the textile industry.

September/October 2022