Cotton arrivals inch up by 0.62% as industry warns of export losses without urgent govt action<\/p>\n
KARACHI: <\/p>\n
Pakistan\u2019s cotton industry is in a quandary after the United States unexpectedly reduced tariffs<\/a> on Indian goods. This follows the European Union\u2019s decision to grant almost duty-free access to Indian exports, raising concerns<\/a> about a further decline in Pakistan\u2019s exports.<\/p>\n Cotton Ginners Forum\u00a0Chairman\u00a0Ihsanul Haq\u00a0warned that unless the federal and provincial governments take immediate and targeted measures for the cotton and textile sectors, Pakistan would face a sharp decline in exports<\/a>. He stressed that delayed policy action would widen the cost gap with regional competitors and weaken Pakistan\u2019s position in global markets.<\/p>\n He said\u00a0according to the latest figures released by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) on Tuesday, as of January 31, 2026, cotton arrivals at ginning factories nationwide increased by 0.62% to reach 5.545 million bales. The report stated that during this period, 2.63 million bales arrived at ginning factories in Punjab, while 2.915 million bales reached ginning factories in Sindh and Balochistan, reflecting a decrease of 3% and an increase of 4%, respectively.<\/p>\n During the review period, textile mills purchased 4.987 million bales from ginning factories, while exporters bought 178,000 bales. As a result, ginning factories currently hold saleable stocks of around 380,000 bales. The PCGA data further shows that only 16 ginning factories are operational in Sindh, compared to 84 in Punjab, underscoring the uneven regional impact on the sector.<\/p>\n He added that although the federal government had set a cotton production target <\/a>of 10.2 million bales for the 2025\u201326 cotton year, total national cotton output is now expected to be around 5.6 million bales.<\/p>\n