Cotton shortfall

Cotton is Pakistan's most crucial industrial crop, and it holds great importance for the national economy. It supplies the textile industry's raw materials, generating a significant chunk of the country's total export revenues. In a worrisome development, a sharp decline in cotton production and notable discrepancies in the crop data - as reported by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association and Punjab's Crop Reporting Service - have set alarm bells ringing in this vital sector. The local textile industry requires a minimum of 12.5 million cotton bales. As estimated, the country will need to import 3.5 million bales to address the shortfall in domestic production, further straining the country's limited foreign reserves. The decline in cotton production should be a major concern for the government. The last peak in cotton production was recorded in 2012 when 13.5 million bales were produced. Since then, Pakistan's average production has hovered between 7 and 9 million bales.

A major cash crop, cotton also provides livelihood to tens of thousands of families. Therefore, a decrease in cotton production can have significant and widespread socioeconomic consequences. Pakistan's cotton harvest continues to face strains due to factors such as unpredictable weather conditions leading to floods and droughts, low-quality seeds and rising production costs. Regrettably, the country is witnessing the decline of one of its key crops, while other cotton-producing nations have significantly boosted their productivity and enhanced crop quality over the past two decades through investments in advanced seed technology. Although most Pakistani farmers adopted Bt cotton years ago, the use of low-quality and uncertified varieties in an unregulated market has instead caused considerable damage to the cotton economy rather than benefiting it. To safeguard the country's textile exports, the government will need to invest significantly in seed research to create disease-resistant and high-yield cotton varieties, making the crop more appealing and profitable for farmers once again.