Pakistan’s cotton reserves have reportedly fallen below 10,000 bales ahead of the new ginning season, raising fears of a severe supply crisis that could force several textile mills to partially halt operations due to raw material shortages.
Industry experts say this may be the first time in the country’s history that cotton inventories have dropped to such critically low levels before the arrival of the new crop. The shortage has added further pressure on textile manufacturers already dealing with rising production costs and disruptions in import routes.
The crisis intensified after the temporary closure of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border halted the arrival of nearly 500,000 cotton bales from Afghanistan. In addition, ongoing regional tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran disrupted trade channels and affected cotton imports, tightening supply for local mills even further.
As market conditions worsened, cotton prices surged sharply during the past week. Market rates climbed to nearly Rs. 22,000 per maund, while deferred payment deals reportedly reached as high as Rs. 23,500 per maund.
Pakistan’s new cotton ginning season is expected to begin shortly after Eid ul Azha, with large-scale arrivals of the fresh crop likely to start in the third week of June. Industry stakeholders hope the incoming crop will provide temporary relief to spinning and textile mills by improving cotton availability in the market.
Cotton Ginners Forum Chairman Ihsan ul Haq urged the government to take immediate steps to boost local cotton production and reduce reliance on imports. He suggested imposing a complete ban on sugarcane cultivation in major cotton-growing regions, arguing that such measures could save Pakistan billions of dollars spent annually on cotton and edible oil imports.
He also highlighted India’s recent initiative to strengthen its cotton sector after increased imports driven by strong yarn exports to China. According to him, India has allocated more than Rs. 56 billion for a cotton production enhancement program running from 2026-27 to 2030-31, focusing on climate-resilient seed varieties and modernization of over 2,000 ginning and processing units.
Meanwhile, cotton sowing continues across most farming regions of Pakistan, but growers are struggling with rising agricultural input costs. DAP fertilizer prices have surged to around Rs. 16,000 per bag, while urea prices have climbed to nearly Rs. 4,500 per bag. Experts warned that reduced fertilizer usage due to high costs may lower cotton yields and increase Pakistan’s dependence on imports once again in the coming months.
