Pakistan’s cotton arrivals increased 7.53% year over year to more than 4.08 million bales by October 15, 2026, with Sindh maintaining its lead as the country’s largest cotton-producing province and Balochistan recording the fastest regional growth, according to the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA).
The association’s latest consolidated report showed that cotton arrivals at ginning factories reached 4,081,265 bales, up approximately 285,000 bales from the corresponding period last year. Dry, hot weather and relatively favorable domestic cotton prices contributed to the increase, according to the supplied report.
Sindh, excluding Balochistan, recorded the largest volume, with arrivals of 2.262 million bales. Punjab ranked second with 1.638 million bales, while Balochistan contributed 180,000 bales.
Sindh accounted for 55.43% of national arrivals, compared with Punjab’s 40.15% and Balochistan’s 4.43%, highlighting the concentration of this season’s cotton supply in Sindh.
Balochistan records fastest cotton growth
Balochistan recorded the strongest year-over-year expansion among the three regions, with cotton arrivals increasing 30.36%. Its share of national arrivals rose to 4.43%, from 3.65% in the same period last year, an increase of 0.78 percentage points.
Punjab’s arrivals grew 7.79%, broadly in line with national growth of 7.53%. Its share remained nearly unchanged, edging up to 40.15% from 40.05% a year earlier.
The regional concentration is also evident in district-level figures. Sanghar in Sindh emerged as the country’s leading cotton-producing district, with arrivals reaching 1.137 million bales.
Bahawalnagar, Punjab’s leading district, recorded 418,000 bales. Sanghar’s output was therefore more than twice that of Punjab’s top-producing district and accounted for roughly half of Sindh’s reported arrivals. The latest fortnightly report also points to an active procurement season, with 872,000 bales arriving during the reporting period.
Textile mills purchased 86.7% of total arrivals, while unsold cotton stocks were 15.7% lower than a year earlier. The figures indicate that mills have absorbed a substantial proportion of the crop reaching ginning factories.
Cotton quality and prices are also shaping market conditions. The report expects staple length to improve as colder weather sets in, potentially supporting the availability of higher-grade cotton.
The price difference between low-grade and high-quality cotton currently stands at Rs. 2,000 per maund and could widen to Rs. 2,500 as buyers continue to pay premiums for better-quality fiber.
Further arrivals could remain strong in the coming fortnight if weather conditions remain favorable and domestic prices continue to attract growers, according to the report.
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