Pakistan: Cotton and Products Update

Pakistan’s 2016/17 cotton production is forecast at 8.0 million 480 lb bales, down one million bales from the previous estimate. Faced with low cotton prices for the second consecutive year, farmers have opted to reduce cotton planting, shifting to corn and sugar cane where possible. Cotton area is forecast at 2.5 million hectares, down 300,000 hectares from a year ago. Current year imports are expected to slow in the last few months of the marketing year, but are on pace to reach a near-record 3.5 million 480 lb bales. 2016/17 imports are also forecast higher in light of expected lower production.

Pakistan: Cotton and Products Update