Pakistan being an agricultural country is facing a crisis by a significant decline in cotton crop production this year. A yield of 10.2 million bales in the previous fiscal year was recorded, but recent reports from the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association show a 48% decrease in the first 15 days of FY-25, creating an alarming situation for the agrarian economy and industries dealing with the cotton.
Climate change and extreme weather conditions have adverse effects on crop yields. Heatwaves and irregular rain patterns have also affected the quality of crops. Lack of awareness to farmers and the unavailability of pesticides has negatively affected the production rate of cotton crop fields. Inflation and rising costs of materials such as fertilizers, pesticides, electricity, and quality seeds have made cotton cultivation less profitable which in turn is making farmers less invest in cotton crops. They have started shifting to more productive crops with better returns. Pakistan’s GDP relies on the cotton industry and a decline in production can cause serious consequences in terms of loss of jobs and can reduce export revenues.
