LAHORE: Phutti or raw cotton arrivals registered a significant drop of over 33 per cent as of Dec 31, 2024, compared to the same period of the previous year, reveals the data released by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) on Friday. Total phutti arrivals during the ongoing season 5.452 million bales compared to 8.171m bales recorded on Dec 31, 2023, reflecting an overall decline of 33.27pc or 2.719m bales. On a fortnightly basis, phutti arrivals marginally improved by 2pc compared to 5.367m bales recorded on Dec 15, 2024. Cotton production saw a significant decline in Punjab and Sindh. In Punjab, phutti arrivals remained at 2.659m bales compared to 4.079m bales, and in Sindh the figure was 2.793m bales compared to 4.092m bales registered for the same period last season. The two provinces reflected a fall of 35pc and 32pc, respectively. Textile industry will have to spend $2bn on imports However, on a fortnightly basis, cotton arrivals in Punjab were up by 3pc compared to 2.594m bales, and in Sindh increased by 1pc compared to 2.773m bales recorded on Dec 15. The decline in phutti arrivals rings an alarm bell for the national economy, textile industry and financial stability of farmers because the country will need to import cotton worth over $2 billion to meet the needs of the domestic textile sector. Sajid Mahmood, Head of Technology Transfer at the Central Cotton Research Institute, blames substandard seed varieties besides weather for the decline in the crop. “These substandard varieties not only hinder production but also elevate the risk of pest and disease infestations,” he says, suggesting stringent reforms in the registration process for seed companies, presently approximately 800. “Mandatory practical testing and validation of seeds from each company should be instituted, with severe penalties for those supplying substandard seeds.” Cotton Ginners Forum chairman Ihsanul Haq regrets that textile mills are ignoring buying cotton and yarn from the domestic market because of the 18pc tax imposed on the local commodities, while import is tax-free. He says the textile industry had procured 7.3m bales and exporters 0.292m bales by Dec 31, 2023, whereas these figures stood at 4.8m bales and 0.046m bales on Dec 31, 2024. Meanwhile, Punjab plans to do maximum early crop sowing next season. A meeting held under the chair of Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali on Friday noted that early sowing results in higher per-acre yield and, thus, maximum land would be brought under cotton crop in February and March. While seeking input from the stakeholders to devise a final crop plan, the meeting pledged to allow the plantation of only approved varieties and the lands vacated after harvesting oilseed crops would also be utilised for early cotton cultivation.