Sindh’s cotton arrivals have surpassed Punjab’s, with the region recording 2.893 million bales, including 179,000 bales purchased from Balochistan, by December 31, 2025, compared to Punjab’s 2.541 million bales.
Sindh’s cotton ginning industry has experienced a remarkable growth during the 2025-26 season, due to record cotton purchases from Punjab and Balochistan. The expansion is the highest in Pakistan’s history, as reflected in the rapid increase in the number of operational ginning factories.
Data from the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) reveals that the number of active ginning factories in Sindh rose sharply from 31 on Dec 31, 2023, to 67 by Dec 31, 2024, and reached a record high of 82 by Dec 31, 2025.
Traditionally, Sindh’s cotton zones, such as Badin, Thatta, and Mirpurkhas, would begin sowing cotton in February-March, with ginning typically starting in June and ending in October-November. During this period, several ginners from Punjab would purchase cotton from Sindh to keep their factories running.
However, over the past few years, Sindh-based ginners have increasingly sourced high-quality cotton from Punjab, particularly from areas like Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, and Dera Ghazi Khan, as well as from Balochistan. This shift has not only contributed to the rise in ginning factories in Sindh but has also led to a decline in the number of active ginning factories in Punjab.
According to PCGA data, the number of active ginning factories in Punjab fell from 210 in December 2023 to 155 by December 2024, and further declined to 140 by December 2025, with further reductions expected in the coming years.
Ihsanul Haq, Chairman of the Cotton Ginners Forum, noted that many of Sindh’s active ginning factories are currently mixing high- and medium-quality cotton, which allows textile mills to source lint at relatively lower prices. This practice has contributed to sustained demand and a rise in prices, with cotton prices increasing by Rs200 to Rs300 over the past week, reaching Rs15,300 per maund, while premium-quality cotton prices remain capped at Rs16,000 per maund.
However, unverified reports have surfaced suggesting that some ginners in Sindh may be mixing high-quality cotton with waste cotton to produce lint, raising concerns among industry stakeholders and triggering complaints.
