MULTAN: Seed cotton (Phutti) equivalent to 8.57 million or 8,571,261 bales has reached ginneries across Pakistan till Mar 15, 2020 registering 20.36 percent shortfall compared to corresponding period of last year.

Out of total arrivals, over 8.56 million or 8,564,040 bales have undergone the ginning process, according to a fortnightly report released to media by Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) here Wednesday.

Arrivals in Punjab were recorded at 5.09 million or 5,097,282 bales and over 3.47 million or 3,473,979 bales in Sindh.

Total sold out bales were recorded at over 8 million (8,067,803) bales including 8,009,137 bales bought by textile mills and another 58,666 bales by exporters.

Exactly 503,458 bales were still lying with the ginneries as unsold stock.

Sanghar district of Sindh continued to remain on top with cotton arrival figures of over 1.13 million or 1,136,840 bales while Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalnagar districts of Punjab stood second and third with cotton arrival figures of 1.1 million (1,107,357) bales and 1.04 million or (1,045,166) bales respectively.

The report does not include cotton arrival figures from districts of Kasur and Sargodha.

Total 16 ginning factories were operational in the country including four (4) in Sindh and twelve (12) in Punjab.

Fortnightly flow of cotton bales for second fortnight of Mar 2020 was recorded at 5,885 bales.—APP