In 2019-20 season, Pakistan’s cotton production is likely to reach the high level of the 2011-12 season. In Pakistan, cotton areas have gained strong support from the high cotton prices and good rainfall during the planting period.

Cotton prices have been rising for four successive years. Cotton production may reach the level of 2011-12 this season. In addition, during the planting period, Pakistani cotton prices were relatively low compared with international cotton prices, stimulating domestic enterprises to choose local cotton, pepping up the domestic cotton prices somewhat and improving the growers’ enthusiasm.

Since the 2011-12 season, when cotton production hit a record high of 2,518 million tons, production has been constantly decreasing. In the 2015-16 season production was only at 1.814 million tons, down about 28 per cent compared with that in the 2011-12 season. Higher cotton areas are supportive to reach the target of cotton production. In the first half year of 2019, precipitation in Punjab has increased by 89.1mm to 133.2mm, and that in Sindh up by 29.5mm to 64.1mm. The favorable weather condition is also good for the growing of cotton. The good price and favorable weather conditions give strong support to reach the cotton target of the 2019-20 season.