TAHIR AMIN

ISLAMABAD: The country has achieved the revised cotton target of 13.48 million bales set for the outgoing season (2014-15), but will fall short of the original target of 15.1 million bales. The government had set initial target of 15.1 million bales for the current season (2014-15), however later the target was revised three times to finally set it at 13.48 million bales due to multiple issues including water shortage, rains/floods, and shortage of certified seed. The government has set cotton production target for the next season (2015-16) at 15.49 million bales.

According to the official sources, till-date about 13.48 million bales (170 kg) of cotton received and according to Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) 14.7 million bales (150 kg) arrived by March 1. According to the official documents, the county achieved 89.38 percent of the original target of 15.1 million bales and registered 5.7 percent increase as compared to the 12.77 million bales in 2013-14. The official said that 9.9 million bales weighing (170 kg) of cotton were received in the current season (2014-15) from Punjab i.e. 94 percent of the target of 10.5 million bales, but registered 8.2 percent increase as compared to 9.14 million bales in 2013-14. About 3.5 million (170 kg) bales of cotton arrived from Sindh against target of 4.2 million bales (83 percent), and also further declined by 1.02 percent as compared to 3.5 million bales in 2013-14.

According to the figures 0.107 million (170 kg) bales of cotton arrived from Balochistan in the outgoing season against target of 0.4 million bales (26.8 percent), but registered increase of eight percent as compared to 0.099 million bales in 2013-14. About 0.001 million bales arrived in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against 0.002 million bales (65 percent) of the target for the outgoing season, but registered 8.3 percent increase as compared to the 0.001 million bales in 2013-14.

Cotton Crops Assessment Committee (CCAC) has fixed the following overall cotton production targets and area under cultivation for the year 2015-16: 15.49 million bales from 3.12 million hectares. Punjab would produce 10.5 million bales from 2.43 million hectares, Sindh 4.4 million bales from 0.65 million hectares, Balochistan 0.59 million bales from 0.043 million hectares and KP would produce 0.00152 million bales from 0.0005 million hectares.