Situationer: Cotton season 2025-26 faces difficult outlook

LAHORE: Low acreage and multiple other factors may result in yet another low production season, presenting a challenging outlook for the 2025-26 cotton crop year.

Cotton cultivation fell short of the target area in both Punjab and Sindh. Furthermore, several negative factors, including high input costs coupled with adulteration, low cotton prices, adverse weather conditions, and the unrestricted import of cotton, suggest a potential decrease in silver fiber production for the 2025-26 season. According to the sowing data for the current cotton crop, Punjab has cultivated 1.266 million hectares out of a target of 1.400 million hectares, indicating 90 percent achievement against the target. While Sindh has planted 0.407 million hectares against a goal of 0.630 million hectares, showing 65 percent progress.

The area under cotton production has a potential negative impact on cotton production in the country. The combined sown area of 1.676 million hectares from Punjab and Sindh is below the target of 2.260 million hectares, showing one-fourth deficit, indicating a diminished foundation for production.

One of the worrying factors for the current season has been severe dent in the area under cultivation in Sindh province. Although Punjab is close to its target, Sindh’s considerable shortfall, along with the lack of considerable progress in KPK and Balochistan, increases the risk of low production on national level.

On the other hand, with sowing largely completed across the country, adverse weather could further impede yield. Monsoon rainfall recorded in the cotton sowing zone of Punjab and Sindh in recent days cast doubts over the state of standing cotton crop. Hot and humid weather also invites infestation of pests, which may pose a serious challenge for the farmers.