Sindh has quietly stepped ahead of all other provinces this season, emerging as the strongest contributor to the country’s cotton supply, according to fresh arrival data compiled by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA).
The latest figures show that overall arrivals touched 5.133 million bales by November 30, marking a slight 1.1% drop from last year’s total of 5.19 million bales.
The national decline is mainly linked to Punjab, where production has continued to shrink.
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Sindh, however, offered much-needed support to the national numbers, recording 2.78 million bales, an improvement from 2.73 million bales last season.
This pushed the province’s share past the halfway mark, with districts like Sanghar leading the way, followed by Sukkur and Khairpur.
Punjab’s output, on the other hand, fell to 2.349 million bales compared with 2.459 million bales last year.
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Its share dropped 4.49 percent, and officials say the decline looks even sharper when measured against the province’s significantly larger cultivation area.
Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, and Bahawalnagar saw some of the biggest slowdowns.
Balochistan also posted a small but meaningful rise, while still a minor player in the national total, the province’s improvement has added some stability to the overall supply.
Experts note that these shifting trends point to a broader change in the country’s cotton landscape.
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Sindh and Balochistan have helped soften the impact of Punjab’s losses, which analysts link to weather issues, and pest attacks.
Meanwhile, industry stakeholders warn that the supply situation is tightening.
With lint prices facing pressure and arrivals slowing down, textile mills may need to consider timely imports to avoid disruptions.
