Multan - The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) has claimed that the arrival of cotton at ginning factories has plunged by 7.34 per cent compared to cotton arrival at the ginneries during the same period last year.

The PCGA fortnightly cotton arrival report revealed on Monday seed cotton (Phutti) equivalent to over 86,71,596 bales of cotton reached ginneries across Pakistan as of Nov 15,2018 while the ginneries received 93,58,553 bales during the corresponding period last year.

The report further disclosed that the ginneries in Punjab recorded arrival of 4,985,116 bales against the last year arrival of 5,544,817 bales showing a decrease of 10.09 per cent. Sindh ginneries recorded arrival of 3,686,480 bales while last year Sindh received 3,813,736 bales 3.34 % less. Ginneries in Sindh recorded a decrease of 3.34 % as compared to corresponding period last year.

Textile mills have bought 6,632,674 bales while exporters bought 91,378 bales. The total bales sold out so far were calculated at 6,724,052 bales. While 19,47,544 bales are lying unsold .Multan received 185,068 bales 19.49 %  decrease than last year, Lodhran 93,566 bales 16.69  % decrease, Khanewal 4,47,883 bales a decrease of 22.72 %, Muzaffargarh 267,727 bales an increase of 3.87 %, Dera Ghazi Khan 3,43,499 an increase of 4.52 %, Rajanpur 3,86,703  bales, 8.25 % increase, Layyah 168,203 bales 27.36.% decrease, Vehari 391,238 bales 18.81  % decrease, Sahiwal 1,70,319 bales 16.52  % less than last year, Pakpattan 17,694 bales 47.17% decrease, Okara 11,900 bales- 19.93 % short, Toba Tek Singh 114,737 bales, 15.27  % decrease , Faisalabad 26,710  bales 16.98  % less than  last year, Jhang 12,550 showing a decrease of 38.20  %, Mianwali 62,782 a decrease of 55.57 % , Bhakkar 25,062 (61.45 % less) Sargodha (Figures not received), Rahim yar Khan 8,79,702 bales (12.14 % increase), Bahawalpur 713,717 a decrease of 12.45 %,and Bahawalnagar 666,056 an increase of 0.94  %.  In Sindh province: Hyderabad 2,09,649 bales 13.23 % less than last year,Mirpur Khas (Thar) 1,18,799 bales 43.09 % less, Sangarh 1,232,764 bales  8.64 % decrease, Nawabshah 3,64,074  bales (10.34  % increase), Naushero Feroze 3,28,364 bales (4.46  % increase), Khairpur 3,31,564 (21.84 % increase) Ghotki 3,24,764(36.42  % increase),Sukkur 5,28,000 (15.84% increase), Dadu 46,909(44.66 % increase), Jamshoro 95,991bales (25.41 % less) ,Badeen 3,829 bales 81.34 % less) and Baluchistan 91,01  bales (a decrease of 0.01%). Total 716 ginning factories are operational in the country.Of them 489 in Punjab and 227 in Sindh.Total 19,47,544 bales are lying in unsold stock.

The country's overall cotton production has deteriorated over the years in turn affecting the gross domestic product. The country's last bumper cotton crop of 14.9m bales was harvested in 2013-14.