KARACHI: The unabated flow of phutti into ginneries particularly in Sindh has so far proven all estimates made about the size of current crop wrong.
According to official figures phutti arrivals during the fortnight ending Dec 15, point to a total production of 11.291 million bales or 24.19 per cent higher over the corresponding period last year when a production of 9.092 million bales was achieved.
A sustained flow of phutti in the province is expected to make historic record of cotton production where up to Dec 15, around 3.845 million bales have been produced.
The fabulous growth in cotton production by the province of Sindh will go a long way in helping the country to become self-sufficient in cotton, which is a basic raw material for the largest industrial sector.
The figures available so far reveal a growth of around 50 per cent in cotton production in Sindh, which stood at 3.845 million bales as against 2.569 million bales recorded in the corresponding period last year. The province produced 1.276 million bales more over the same period last year.
It is highly encouraging that the flow of phutti in both cotton producing provinces, Sindh and Punjab is much higher than the previous year. Normally, cotton watchers say the flow of phutti starts to slow down during second half of the month of November every season but this did not happen so far.
However, it is a matter of some concern that the Punjab though still getting flow of phutti higher by 14.15 per cent but it is relatively low when compared to its crop size.
In total the province produced up to Dec 15, 7.445 million bales, which is 0.993 million bales more than previous year at 6.522 million bales. Punjab’s cotton crop size had been always enormous and its variations also have deeper impact on overall cotton production of the country.
However, cotton analysts feel that the ultimate size of cotton crop would be much higher than officially estimated production at around 12 million bales. Still more picking have to go in both the provinces and it is hoped that the size would cross by any conservative estimates to over 14 million bales, they added.
As a result of higher phutti arrivals in all 2.199 million more bales were produced up to Dec 15, over the corresponding period last year.
It is equally encouraging that the spinners have purchased larger quantity of cotton this season at 9.377 million bales against 6.819 million bales lifted by them in the same period last year.
There was a higher involvement of exporters in cotton trade this year and around 0.662 million bales were purchased by them compared to 0.225 million bales last year.The most encouraging development is that during the out-going fortnight the flow of phutti remained higher by 107,599 bales at 863,412 bales as against 755,813 bales last year.
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