Sindh’s cotton ginning sector has witnessed an unprecedented surge during the 2025 to 26 season, driven by record purchases from Punjab and Balochistan in what industry sources describe as the highest inter-provincial cotton movement in Pakistan’s history.
The number of active ginning factories in Sindh has risen sharply to 82 as of December 31, 2025, up from 67 in December 2024 and just 31 in December 2023, according to Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association data.
Meanwhile, the large-scale movement of cotton from Punjab to Sindh has led to a steady decline in the number of active ginning factories in Punjab.
Punjab had 210 active ginning factories as of December 31, 2023, which fell to 155 in December 2024 and further declined to just 140 by December 2025. Further reductions are feared in the coming years.
Traditionally, major cotton zones of Sindh, including Badin, Thatta, Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Umerkot and Sanghar, used to begin sowing cotton in February to March, with the ginning season starting in June and ending in October to November.
During this period, several Punjab based ginners would purchase cotton from Sindh to run their factories.
However, over the past two to three years, Sindh ginners have increasingly started buying large quantities of high quality cotton from major markets in Punjab, particularly Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Khanewal and Vehari, as well as from Balochistan.
This shift has led to a continuous rise in the number of active ginning factories in Sindh by the end of December each year.
In terms of arrivals, Punjab’s ginning factories had received cotton equivalent to 2.541 million bales, while Sindh recorded arrivals of 2.893 million bales, including 179,000 bales from Balochistan, by December 31, 2025.
In comparison, Punjab had received 2.718 million bales, while Sindh recorded 1.812 million bales, including 92,000 bales from Balochistan, by December 31, 2022.
Cotton Ginners Forum Chairman Ihsanul Haq notes that most active ginning factories in Sindh’s cotton zones are currently mixing high and medium quality cotton for ginning, enabling textile mills to procure lint at comparatively lower prices.
This has led to sustained demand and rising prices. Over the past week alone, cotton prices have increased by Rs. 200 to Rs. 300, rising from Rs. 15,000 to around Rs. 15,300 per maund, while premium quality cotton prices have remained capped at around Rs. 16,000 per maund.
Haq also points out unverified reports suggesting that some Sindh ginners are mixing high quality cotton purchased from Punjab and Balochistan with waste cotton to produce lint, a practice that has already triggered several complaints.
The dramatic shift in Pakistan’s cotton ginning landscape reflects changing economics in the textile supply chain, with Sindh based operators finding it more profitable to source quality cotton from other provinces rather than relying solely on local production.
Industry experts attribute the trend to several factors, including better infrastructure for cotton processing in Sindh, proximity to major textile clusters and ports, and competitive pricing strategies that make it economical to transport cotton across provincial boundaries.
The decline in Punjab’s active ginning units raises concerns about the future of cotton processing infrastructure in the province, which has historically been Pakistan’s largest cotton-producing region.
Textile industry sources say the ability to mix different quality grades of cotton allows Sindh ginners to offer more competitive pricing to mills while maintaining acceptable quality standards for various end uses.
However, reports of mixing waste cotton with premium quality fiber have raised quality concerns among textile manufacturers who depend on consistent lint standards for their production processes.
The Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association data shows a clear reversal of historical patterns, with Sindh now emerging as the dominant cotton processing hub despite Punjab’s continued strength in raw cotton production.
