Pakistan’s cotton dream for 2025-26 has been shaken as heavy rains, floods, and virus attacks devastate crops across Punjab and Sindh. Early optimism that production might rise by 20–25% has faded, with fields in Bahawalnagar — Punjab’s largest cotton-producing district — already suffering losses of nearly 40%. Cotton Ginners Forum Chairman Ihsanul Haq warned that further rainfall and flooding could deepen the crisis, with per-acre yields set to decline sharply.
Reports indicate that waterlogging, humidity, and rising night temperatures have created conditions for pests and fungal infections, while sugarcane expansion in freshwater zones has left cotton more vulnerable to viral attacks. Several ginning factories in Punjab and Sindh have already suspended operations due to reduced seed cotton arrivals, and prices have slipped from Rs16,600 to Rs16,200 per maund. Reliable production estimates will only be available by October, while the government prepares a new textile policy to support the sector.
