Phutti arrivals jump by 44.3pc in Sindh, PAKISTAN

Analysts in the cotton market said that if the country manages to achieve 13mn bales production this season it will help reduce import bill for raw cotton. - AP/File photo

KARACHI: Sustained flow of phutti from Sindh fields has helped cotton production to cross 12.513 million bales brightening the prospects of exceeding last year production of 12.5 million bales.
The arrival figures of phutti showed that overall production stood higher by 15.65 per cent or 1.287 million bales over last year’s corresponding period when production stood at 10.819 million bales.
The arrival figures jointly compiled by PCGA, Aptma and KCA disclosed that slower arrival of phutti from Punjab cotton fields had an adverse impact on overall production.
During the out-going fortnight (Jan 15 to 31) there was a sudden fall in phutti arrival to 273,271 bales from 497,568 bales recorded in the same period last year. This steep decline was mainly because of fall in phutti arrivals in the Punjab.
According to official figures arrival of phutti in Sindh remained higher by 44.34 per cent over the previous year’s corresponding period. During the period under review Sindh produced 4.189 million bales as against 2.902 million in the corresponding period last year.
This means that Sindh has produced around 1.287 million more bales this season. Against this, phutti arrival in the Punjab was only higher by 5.13 per cent at 8.324 million bales compared to 2.917 million bales recorded in the same period last year.
As a result of this cotton production in the Punjab stood 406,498 bales higher over the last year. However, overall production during out-going fortnight stood lesser by 224,297 bales compared to same period last year.
It is quite interesting to note that spinners this season have so far purchased larger quantities of cotton. In all 10.907 million bales have been lifted by spinners during the current season compared to 8.837 million bales purchased by them in the same period last year.
Similarly, due to higher off-take by spinners the unsold stocks of cotton lying with ginners is lesser at 810,900 bales compared 1.542 million bales stood in the same period last year.
However, a fairly larger quantity had been lifted by exporters at 794,348 bales as against 290,865 bales they exported in the corresponding period last year.
Cotton analysts said if the country manages to achieve 13 million bales production this season it will help reduce import bill for raw cotton.