Pakistan’s textile sector is facing serious concerns after national cotton inventories reportedly dropped below 10,000 bales ahead of the new ginning season.
Industry officials say this may be the lowest cotton stock level in Pakistan’s history before the arrival of a new crop, increasing fears of partial shutdowns at textile mills due to raw material shortages.
The shortage has created major pressure on textile manufacturers already struggling with rising production costs, expensive imports, and trade disruptions.
Reports suggest the situation worsened after the temporary closure of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border blocked the import of nearly 500,000 cotton bales from Afghanistan.
At the same time, regional tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran reportedly disrupted trade routes and further affected cotton imports into Pakistan.
As supplies tightened, cotton prices surged sharply in local markets. Market rates reportedly climbed to around Rs. 22,000 per maund, while deferred payment deals reached nearly Rs. 23,500 per maund.
Industry experts expect some relief after Eid ul Adha when Pakistan’s new cotton ginning season is scheduled to begin.
Large-scale arrivals of the new cotton crop are expected to start during the third week of June, which may improve raw material availability for spinning and textile mills.
Ihsan ul Haq urged the government to introduce emergency measures to increase domestic cotton production and reduce dependence on imports.
He also proposed restricting sugarcane cultivation in major cotton-growing areas to help strengthen Pakistan’s cotton sector and reduce import expenses.
Industry officials warned that rising fertilizer prices are creating additional difficulties for farmers. DAP fertilizer prices have reportedly reached Rs. 16,000 per bag, while urea prices climbed close to Rs. 4,500 per bag.
Experts fear reduced fertilizer usage may lower cotton production further and force Pakistan to increase cotton imports again in the coming months.
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