The arrival of cotton at ginneries in Pakistan by October 1, 2015, is down 25.68 per cent year-on-year, according to the fortnightly report on cotton arrivals, prepared by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners’ Association (PCGA), in joint cooperation with All Pakistan textile Mills Association (APTMA) and the Karachi Cotton Association (KCA). As on October 1, 2015, ginneries in Pakistan received 3.073 million bales of cotton, compared to arrival of 4.135 million bales during the corresponding period of last season, according to the data. In Punjab province, the total cotton arrivals decreased by 32.71 per cent year-on-year to 1.331 million bales, according to the data. In Sindh province, cotton arrivals dropped 19.22 per cent to 1.741 million bales as on October 1 during the ongoing cotton season 2015-16. Of the total arrival of 3.073 million bales, 2.674 million bales were pressed by ginners, of which 2.443 million bales were sold, leaving an unsold stock of 231,887 bales with the ginners, as on October 1. The textile mills in Pakistan consumed 2.212 million bales, while another 230,190 bales of cotton were sold to exporters, according to the data. The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has not procured any bale of cotton so far this season. At present, a total of 507 ginning factories are operational in Punjab compared to 513 ginneries that were operational during the same time last season. Similarly, 246 ginning units are currently operational in the Sindh region, compared to 250 operating units during the corresponding period last year. In 2014-15 cotton season, Pakistan’s cotton output increased by 11.03 per cent to 14.871 million bales, compared to the previous season’s production of 13.488 million bales.
