Pakistan’s cotton arrivals at ginneries reached 5.497 million bales as of January 15, 2026, remaining broadly flat compared with 5.490 million bales recorded during the same period last year, according to data compiled by Arif Habib Limited.
Provincial figures showed a mixed trend. Cotton arrivals in Punjab declined 4 percent year-on-year to 2.586 million bales, down from 2.687 million bales last season. In contrast, Sindh posted a 4 percent YoY increase, with arrivals rising to 2.911 million bales compared to 2.803 million bales in the same period last year.
Despite the near-flat YoY performance, total arrivals remain slightly below the 5.525 million bales recorded by February 28, 2025.
On the production side, cotton sowing continues to lag official targets. Total sowing for FY26 stands at 2.00 million hectares, falling short of the targeted 2.26 million hectares, with farmers achieving around 88.6 percent of the planned harvest area.
Analysts warn that lower sowing levels combined with stagnant arrivals could weigh on overall cotton production, potentially increasing reliance on imports and putting pressure on textile sector margins if the trend continues.
