Data-driven agricultural solutions firm Sawie has released a case study of Pakistan’s organic cotton sector, highlighting challenges as well as opportunities for advancing organic cotton production in the nation.
“Sawie’s interest in this subject stems from the close relationship between Pakistan’s cotton production, its textile industry, and the livelihoods of the farmers who supply the sector. Cotton is a critical raw material for Pakistan’s textile value chain, and fluctuations in domestic cotton production have implications for both farmers and textile manufacturers that depend on a reliable supply of cotton,” said Tayybia Sadia, research officer, Sawie. “We wanted to examine the position of organic cotton within this broader landscape, from global and Asian markets to the realities of production in Pakistan.”
Sawie looked at global production during the 2024-2025 growing season, which had an estimated 117.4 million bales of cotton driven by larger crops in major producing countries. The study determined that organic cotton accounted for only a small percentage of global output with the overall organic cotton market valued at around $24.4 billion in 2024.
Pakistan remains one of the top global cotton producers, contributing an estimated 6 percent of world production with around 6.7 million bales in 2024. During the 2024-2025 season, Sawie estimates the nation produced around 4.8 million bales from approximately 2.0 million hectares of planted land, slightly below previous years due to adverse weather
Sawie reported that despite the nation’s overall output, organic cotton production in Pakistan is still in its infancy but growing steadily. The study cited data from WWF Pakistan, which reported that during the 2023-2024 growing season, around 11,500 farmers cultivated certified organic cotton on roughly 43,300 hectares of land, producing around 24,000 metric tons of certified organic lint.
Data from 2024-2025 suggests that the industry is scaling, with organic cotton initiatives bringing in around 2,062 farmers on approximately 4,600 hectares of farmland, with projections reaching 7,400 hectares by 2025-2026. But despite this growth, Sawie said that organic cotton still only represents less than 1 percent of the total cotton growing area in Pakistan.
One of the challenges inhibiting organic cotton growth in Pakistan, according to Sawie’s study, is the organic seed system. The conventional seed sector is dominated by hybrid and GMO cotton varieties, making certified organic and non-GMO seed scarce and difficult to obtain. The report also pointed to policy and regulatory gaps in seed guidelines, with weak connections between breeders and farmers.
Sawie also noted that smallholder farms, in particular, often lack technical support for organic farming, soil health management, pest control and crop rotation practices essential to maintain organic productivity and seed quality.
Other challenges to organic cotton growth include market constraints with international markets offering price premiums for organic cotton, but local markets do not always reflect the same value due to high certification costs and a limited traceability infrastructure for verifying organic products. And climate risks such as floods, irregular rainfall and extreme temperatures have become a threat to both conventional and organic crops.
Sadia said that these challenges illustrate the importance of buy-in and support from the entire cotton value chain rather than simply telling farmers they should change their cultivation practices.
“Farmers transitioning from conventional to organic production may face a period of several years during which they must adapt their farming practices, manage production risks, and build the conditions needed for organic cultivation. During this period, yields and income may be affected, making the transition challenging without adequate technical support and reliable market access,” she said. “Textile brands, manufacturers, and other value-chain partners have an important role to play in addressing these challenges. By establishing reliable sourcing relationships, supporting farmers through the transition, and creating mechanisms that reward verified organic production, the industry can help make organic cotton a more viable option for farmers.”
Sawie’s report also identified regions in Pakistan that offer greater potential for organic cotton cultivation, such as Balochistan and Sindh, particularly in the Barkhan, Lasbela, Khuzdar and Kohlu districts. These areas have seen success with organic cultivation thanks to favorable soil conditions, low pesticide history and manageable pest pressure. The report also found that Southern Punjab and transitional zones also hold opportunity for organic cotton farming, particularly where moderate irrigation is available.
Sawie also highlighted the work of the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) in promoting the transition to organic cultivation practices. During the 2025-2026 growing season, OCA is projected to work with more than 10,000 farmers across nearly 60,000 hectares, producing 16,000 metric tons of lint across the Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh regions.
Sawie has worked with OCA to provide technical support for seed selection, testing, monitoring and quality assurance to help establish a reliable supply of organic cotton seed that can be multiplied and made widely available to farmers. But Sawie emphasized that this work is just part of the solution, noting that real progress can’t be made until farmers have access to reliable markets and incentives that recognize the work put into transitioning to organic practices.
Sadia said that while the report identifies challenges to organic cotton production in Pakistan, it also shows that with broad stakeholder participation across the cotton supply chain, scaling organic production is possible.
“Ultimately, we hope this study contributes to a broader conversation about how Pakistan can strengthen its organic cotton sector through reliable seed systems, responsible sourcing, transparent supply chains, and stronger collaboration between farmers and the textile industry,” Sadia said. “We also see this as the beginning of a broader effort to document practical experiences and lessons from Pakistan’s organic cotton sector through further case studies.”