Pakistan’s cotton arrivals stuck at 5.497 million bales as Punjab yield falls 

LAHORE: National cotton arrivals at the ginning stage reached 5.497 million bales as of January 15, 2026, marking an increase of just 0.007 million bales, or 0.13%, from 5.490 million bales recorded during the same period of the previous season.

Provincial crop data highlights a significant productivity gap between Punjab and Sindh. Punjab cultivated cotton on 1.266 million hectares but produced 2.586 million bales, while Sindh, with a sown area of 0.562 million hectares, recorded output of 2.911 million bales, according to Crop Reporting Service figures.

Based on these numbers, average yield in Punjab works out to around 2.04 bales per hectare, compared with approximately 5.18 bales per hectare in Sindh.

Historical official data also shows a decline in Punjab’s cotton productivity, with average yield falling from 1,722 kilograms per hectare in 2023–24 to 1,413 kilograms per hectare in 2024–25, a drop of 309 kilograms or 17.94%.

Seed cotton price trends do not support claims that Punjab’s cotton is being shifted to Sindh for ginning. During the 2025–26 season, average prices in Punjab districts such as Rahim Yar Khan were recorded at Rs7,493 per 40 kilograms and Bahawalpur at Rs7,435, compared with Rs7,097 in Sanghar and Rs7,073 in Mirpur Khas.

Late-season arrivals received some support from weather conditions. Brighter days and relatively milder temperatures from early December contributed to faster boll maturity, adding around 75,000 bales over the last two fortnights compared with the same period last year, though overall national output remains broadly unchanged.