The cotton market has shown overall stability, although prices on the New York cotton exchange experienced some volatility followed by a decline. According to reports received, cotton-growing regions across several areas are facing complaints of whitefly, jassid, and leaf curl virus affecting the cotton crop, raising concerns that the crop could be adversely affected. According to sources at APTMA, complaints regarding contamination in cotton have also increased significantly this year, while rising energy costs are further impacting cotton production negatively.
Dr. Muhammad Jawaid, Cotton Advisor at APTMA, stated that the biggest challenge currently facing Pakistan’s cotton industry is the quality crisis, adding that the establishment of the Pakistan Cotton Board has become an urgent requirement of the time, and that the industry has renewed hopes with the arrival of new leadership.
Meanwhile, affected parties of the KCE building reported that the Sindh High Court has issued clear directives for the building to be de-sealed. However, the ETPB, with the assistance of the FIA, continues to maintain illegal possession of the building. According to the affected parties, the situation has escalated to the point where the building’s historic name has been changed and replaced with a signboard bearing the FIA’s name, even though the court has yet to issue a final ruling on the actual ownership of the building.
The tenants of the Karachi Cotton Exchange (KCE), in compliance with the orders of the Honourable Court, are depositing their monthly office rent with the Nazir of the Honourable Court. This clearly establishes that the respective offices continue to remain under the tenancy of the concerned tenants.
However, the authorities of ETPB and FIA are not allowing the tenants and their office staff to enter the KCE Building and access their respective offices. Consequently, the tenants have been deprived of access to their workstations, files, official records, books of accounts, and other essential documents lying inside their offices.
The situation is particularly serious because the concerned tenants are required to prepare and file their income tax returns within the prescribed deadlines. Since they have been deprived of access to their offices and the essential records and documents contained therein, they are facing genuine difficulties in fulfilling their legal and tax-related obligations within the prescribed time.
In view of these circumstances, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Honorable Minister for Finance are respectfully requested to take appropriate notice of the situation, provide necessary assistance and relief to the affected taxpayers, and take appropriate measures to ensure that they are allowed access to their respective offices so that they can retrieve their important records and documents and fulfill their legal and tax-related obligations within the prescribed deadlines.
Textile mills continued to display strong buying interest in the local cotton market this week, with ginners also remaining active, leading to a noticeable improvement in overall trading volumes.
However, concerns are mounting in several cotton-growing regions, where reports indicate that the crop has come under attack from whitefly and jassid pests. Complaints of leaf curl disease have also surfaced in multiple areas, leaving farmers anxious about the state of their crops. As a result, the supply of phutti, or raw seed cotton, has failed to see any significant increase.
Sources within the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) revealed that complaints regarding cotton contamination are notably higher this season compared to previous years.
Market observers noted that whenever New York cotton prices soften, major mill groups tend to shift their focus toward imports, a trend that has contributed to a steady and continuing rise in cotton imports into the country.
In terms of domestic pricing, cotton rates across Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan ranged between Rs 18,400 and Rs 18,800 per maund, while phutti prices hovered between Rs 8,100 and Rs 9,700 per 40 kilograms.
The Spot Rate Committee of the Karachi Cotton Association raised the spot rate by Rs 100 per maund, closing the session at Rs 18,500 per maund.
Naseem Usman, Chairman of the Karachi Cotton Brokers Forum, said that international cotton prices displayed a mixed trend during the week. New York cotton futures traded within a range of 82 to 87 US cents per pound.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) weekly export and sales report, a total of 230,500 bales were sold for the 2026–27 marketing year. Mexico emerged as the leading buyer, purchasing 69,800 bales, followed by Vietnam in second place with 51,200 bales, while Pakistan secured third position with purchases of 44,500 bales.
For the upcoming 2027–28 marketing year, sales totalled 123,000 bales. Mexico once again led the buyers with 120,000 bales, followed by Pakistan in second place with 2,500 bales, while Japan ranked third with 500 bales.
On the export front, total shipments reached 164,700 bales. Vietnam was the top importer, receiving 49,000 bales, followed by India in second place with 32,100 bales, while Pakistan rounded out the top three importers with 25,700 bales.
An ‘unprecedented’ rise in temperatures has sharply reduced cotton seed germination this year, raising fears of a serious shortage of certified seed for the 2026-27 cotton crop and potentially affecting next season’s sowing.
Cotton seed germination, normally expected to remain above 70 per cent under suitable temperatures of around 30°C, had fallen to nearly 30 per cent as temperatures reached 40-41°C in key cotton-growing areas, Cotton Ginners Forum chairman Ihsanul Haq said.
He said the unusually high temperatures had caused cotton bolls to open prematurely. While this could make per-acre production appear higher initially, the adverse impact on seed germination could create a shortage of certified seed for the coming season.
He urged the authorities to relax seed-germination standards for cotton temporarily to enable seed companies to supply maximum quantities of certified seed to farmers and prevent a decline in cotton cultivation.
Adverse weather conditions in recent years, coupled with inadequate and untimely weather forecasts, have been blamed for creating serious difficulties for agriculture, particularly cotton.
He said cotton prices in global markets could improve if the expected meeting between the Chinese and US presidents in the next couple of days resulted in positive decisions on bilateral trade.
“Any improvement in international cotton prices could have a positive impact on Pakistani markets and support an upward trend in local cotton and phutti prices.”
Meanwhile, the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority had decided to hold cotton travelling seminars in major cotton zones, including Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Sukkur, Faisalabad, Tando Jam and Sakrand.
The seminars would bring research institutions, agriculture departments, seed companies, scientists, experts and farmers together to develop a coordinated strategy for improving cotton production through quality seed, modern varieties and improved production technologies, he said.
Pakistan’s cotton revival debate has focused heavily on better seed, but the latest field evidence raises a more important question: is seed quality alone enough to explain the wide differences in cotton productivity across production environments? The gap between Punjab and Sindh, along with the encouraging performance of the current crop, suggests that yield depends on much more than genetics. Water availability, sowing time, plant population, nutrition, pest management, climate and overall crop husbandry determine how much of a variety’s genetic potential actually reaches the farmer’s field. The real challenge, therefore, is to move from Good Seed to a Good Production System. Better varieties remain essential, but they must be supported by location-specific production practices, research, extension, and effective crop management.
Reference Link:- https://www.brecorder.com/news/40441488