Pakistan’s low cotton output may hurt millions of families in the farming communities, which would ultimately affect exports and the gross domestic product. The country would miss the target of cotton production by 4.6 million bales, necessitating imports worth four billion dollars to keep the textile industry running which would hit the balance of payment situation and forex reserves.

Cotton is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. It holds a 8.5 per cent share in the GDP, fetched 12 billion dollars through exports and provides jobs to 40 per cent of the labor. The reasons behind the low cotton output include sudden and unpredictable rains, drought in some areas, low cotton prices and a hike in prices of inputs by 15 to 20 per cent and the use of substandard seed and fake pesticides, which discouraged farmers.

The sowing target of cotton was also missed, with potentially disastrous consequences. Genetically modified seeds were introduced in the hope they would be pest resistant. But the imported seeds failed to withstand pink bollworm and whitefly attacks while sprays and medicine to tackle the pests were not available in the market. So the pests played havoc with the crop.