Pakistan’s cotton arrival has declined drastically due to floods and heavy rains that hit the country recently. The arrival fell by 40.74 percent in August-October 2022, the first 3 months of marketing year 2022-23. The arrival declined by 67 percent in October compared to the same period in 2021. Pakistan industry may witness an acute cotton shortage.
Cotton arrival was 37,07,693 bales of 170 kg in August-October 2022, down 25,49,326 bales compared to 62,57,019 bales in the same period last year, according to the latest report on cotton arrival during the new marketing year released by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA).
The arrival went from 2410,556 bales in October 2021 to 788,718 bales in October 2022, recording a steep fall of 67.28 percent. October is considered as the peak season for cotton arrival in Pakistan and the low numbers point towards the effects of floods on peak cotton arrival.
The state-wise arrival report also shows the impact of floods and heavy rains in October and previous months. Cotton arrival in the Sindh province—where floods affected the most—was noted at 16,35,400 bales during August-October 2022, down 50.77 percent compared to 33,21,900 bales in the corresponding period of last season.
Cotton arrival was 29.40 percent lower in Punjab which had recorded an arrival of 20,72,293 bales in the first three months of the current season against 29,35,119 bales of the corresponding period of last year.
