Islamabad, Aug 27: Punjab’s early-sown cotton fields have suffered greatly from the extreme heat, which has reduced overall productivity.
A report issued on August 18, 2024, by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) states that cotton production fell to 392,736 bales, a dramatic decrease from the 636,684 bales reported in the previous year.
The severe weather also affected Sindh’s cotton harvest, resulting in a decrease in arrivals to 682,292 bales from 1.478 million bales the previous year.
Along with a strong pest control plan supported by the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) and the Land Information and control System (LIMS), the Punjab Agriculture Department has created a comprehensive management plan with private sector participation.
A recent assessment meeting in Multan noted that there were more fruiting bodies this year than there were previous, despite the unfavorable conditions. Work is in progress to turn as many blooms into bolls and reach Punjab’s goal yield of 19.5 maunds per acre.
According to the PCGA’s most recent data, arrivals of cotton have decreased nationally, from 2.115 million bales last year to 1.075 million bales, a 49.18% decrease. Arrivals in Punjab decreased from 0.636 million to 0.392 million bales, while those in Sindh decreased from 0.796 million to 0.682 million bales.
Cotton bales dropped dramatically in Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, from 23,607 last year to just 6,321 this year—a 73.2 percent fall. There was a 41.92 percent fall in Bahawalpur, and comparable declines were observed in other important districts like Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Vehari.
