LAHORE: As many as 5.43 million bales of cotton arrived at ginning factories by December 31, 2025, with fortnightly arrivals rising to 0.132 million bales verses 0.084 million last year, but overall arrivals dipped 0.33 per cent year-on-year (YoY).
The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) reports that the decline is more pronounced in Punjab, where 2.54 million bales have been processed, which is 0.11 million bales fewer than the previous year, marking a decrease of 4.44 per cent.
In contrast, Sindh’s factories have received 2.89 million bales, which is an increase of 0.09 million bales or 3.8 per cent compared to the same timeframe last year. This season, exporters and traders have acquired 0.176 million bales, while the textile industry has purchased 4.78 million bales of cotton.
Notably, the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has not made any cotton purchases during the 2025-26 season.
As of December 31, 2025, Bahawalnagar led with 692,637 bales arriving at ginning factories outside Punjab. In Multan, 36,299 bales were produced, 15,568 bales in Lodhran, 126,723 bales in Khanewal, 32,450 bales in Muzaffargarh, 328,970 bales in Dera Ghazi Khan, 33,804 bales in Rajanpur, 111,999 bales in Layyah, 181,243 bales in Vehari, 92,043 bales in Sahiwal, 340,261 bales in Rahim Yar Khan, and 394,336 bales in Bahawalpur.
In Sindh, Sanghar has emerged as the leader, achieving a remarkable 1.27 million bales at the national level. Mirpur Khas contributed 70,100 bales; Nawabshah produced 82,559 bales; Naushera Feroz yielded 228,755 bales; Khairpur generated 229,536 bales; Sukkur accounted for 345,465 bales; Jamshoro delivered 45,200 bales; and Hyderabad produced 151,656 bales. Additionally, 178,590 bales have been received in factories located in Balochistan.
Currently, there is an unsold inventory of 549,664 bales of cotton. A comprehensive analysis of cotton arrivals reveals a complex landscape characterised by significant provincial disparities, evolving procurement trends, and a concerning accumulation of unsold stock.
When examining the data on a provincial level, it becomes evident that the situation varies greatly. Several districts in Sindh are experiencing substantial YoY growth, with Mirpurkhas showing an impressive increase of 105.2 per cent and Nawabshah reflecting a 56.73 per cent rise.
Conversely, key districts in Punjab, such as Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur, are facing greater declines than the provincial level, showing a reduction of 7.7 per cent and 10.3 per cent, respectively. The sales pipeline further underscores this disparity; for example, Sanghar in Sindh has successfully sold over 1.16 million bales, while Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab is left with over 173,000 bales unsold. This escalating stockpile places significant financial pressure on ginners, who are responsible for carrying costs, and exerts downward pressure on local cotton prices.
