Wed, Feb 04,
Insights
Pakistan's cotton arrivals increased marginally by 0.62 per cent year on year to 55.45 lakh bales as of January 31, 2026, reflecting uneven crop flows across regions.
Strong domestic mill demand absorbed most supplies, while exports remained limited.
Punjab arrivals declined due to acreage losses and weather issues, but higher Sindh output provided partial support.
Pakistan’s cotton arrivals rose marginally by 0.62 per cent year on year to 55.45 lakh bales (170 kg each) as of January 31, 2026, compared with 55.10 lakh bales in the same period last year, according to the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA).
After showing momentum in the early months of the 2025–26 season, arrivals slowed in the latter part of 2025 before picking up slightly by the end of January 2026, reflecting uneven crop flows and regional disparities.
PCGA data show that of the 51.64 lakh bales sold by end-January, the domestic textile industry absorbed 49.87 lakh bales, while exporters purchased 1.77 lakh bales, underlining strong mill demand amid constrained raw material availability.
Regionally, Punjab recorded arrivals of 26.30 lakh bales during the first seven months of the season, down 2.74 per cent year on year, largely due to reduced acreage, pest attacks and erratic weather. In contrast, Sindh reported a 3.86 per cent increase to 29.14 lakh bales, supported by better water availability, timely agronomic practices and improved picking cycles.
For the 2024–25 marketing year, Pakistan’s total cotton production stood at 5.524 million bales, a sharp decline of 34.18 per cent from 8.303 million bales in 2023–24. The previous season had seen a recovery from 2022–23 lows, when output fell to 4.912 million bales due to flooding, heat stress and severe pest infestations.