Declining cotton output

God forbid! We may not have to import cotton, said Murtaza Wahab, the Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister, in Karachi yesterday while defending the provincial government’s decision to offer a better price to farmers for wheat than the federal government. This is a harmless lie, a mistake that amuses. The assertion is contrary to facts nonetheless.

Pakistan’s import of cotton has steadily been increasing over the past decade. In the past, the textile industry’s demand for 15 million bales was easily met through domestic production. Over the last 10 years, cotton output in Pakistan has gradually decreased to a mere 8.5 million bales, leaving a big gap between demand and supply, and the shortfall is met through import. This year, the country is expected to produce not more than six million bales. The textile industry plans to import 8.5 million bales to meet their needs. Since the textile industry accounts for around 60% of Pakistan’s total exports, it might seriously impair the country’s export earnings. The gradual decrease in cotton output has resulted in closure of 700 ginning factories, causing large-scale loss of jobs. Now only 400 ginning factories are operational and they too feel insecure.

Experts say the main reason for the drastic decline in cotton production is lack of quality seeds. This could be overcome by improving the seed quality through research and through import. Another significant cause of the declining production of the commodity is the loss of soil fertility. There were times when Pakistan produced large amounts of the best quality long-staple Egyptian cotton. The government should do the needful to regain the lost glory when the country ranked among the top producers of cotton. As for the CM adviser’s mistake, it can be put in the class of slips such as the former British PM David Cameron made in an election speech when he said ‘a career-defining moment’ instead of ‘a country-defining moment’. His opponents interpreted it as the politician putting his career advancement above the country’s interests.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2020.

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