The output of the cotton crop in Pakistan is likely to improve during this season. However, there is not an iota of doubt that It would remain on the lower side but better compared to that of the last season mainly due to favourable weather conditions.
According to a feedback from the growers, it is being projected that Pakistan's cotton crop is expected to be 10.6 million bales, slightly higher than 9.7 million recorded in the last year, traders and experts say. In the first week of this month, Pakistan's Cotton Crop Assessment Committee (CCAC), already revised cotton production target on the downhill and estimated cotton crop of 10.54 million bales (1 bale = 155 kg) in this season against actual target of 14.1 million. CCAC has revised cotton crop estimates for the third time during this season. The cotton prices were also expected to rebound in the coming month due to higher demand of quality cotton and ginners were also likely to offload improved quality cotton in the market in January, traders added.
The United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) had also predicted that Pakistan's cotton crop would rebound 18 per cent during that season. The Department’s recent report on Cotton and Wool Outlook stated that Pakistan's crop is projected at nearly 8.3 million bales in 2016-17, an 18-per cent rebound from a 2015-16 crop that was the countries lowest since 1998-99. Although 2016-17 area was forecast at a three-decade low, crop conditions appeared to have been favourable that season as the yield was projected at 748 kg per hectare, one of the top yields on record for Pakistan, it added.
