Pakistan’s cotton production has fallen to its lowest in 17 years because of poor weather and pest outbreaks, leaving the country reliant on imports. Adverse weather, increased pest pressure from whitefly and pink bollworm, and the high cost of inputs discouraged farmers from better crop management.

The worsened production outlook represents a fall of nearly 30 per cent year on year, to the weakest since 1998-99. Pakistan’s imports in 2015-16 are estimated at 2.70 million bales, more than triple those of last season. Pakistan is in fact the world’s fourth ranked cotton producer after China, India and the US. It normally relies on imports for only a small portion of its needs, and often on quality grounds. It purchases, for instance, long staple cotton from the US, but will be forced this year to turn for extra supplies to India and West Africa.

Pakistan’s cotton yield this season represents a drop of 22 per cent year on year. The country’s production hopes have been hurt by weak prices, with poor weather adding to crop woes. Cotton and cotton products contribute about 10 per cent to GDP and 55 per cent to the foreign exchange earnings of the country. Nearly 30 to 40 per cent of the cotton ends up as domestic consumption. The remaining is exported as raw cotton, yarn, cloth, and garments.