KARACHI: Higher flow of phutti (seed cotton) from cotton fields into ginneries helped increase cotton production by 11.02 per cent at 7.606 million bales during last month as against 6.851m bales produced in the corresponding period last year.

The consolidated statement of phutti arrival into ginneries issued by Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) for October 2013, instead of two quarterly reports, disclosed that both the cotton producing provinces – Punjab and Sindh -- recorded higher cotton production.

However, improved cotton production is mainly due to higher arrival of phutti in the Punjab during the period under review.

Prior to this period and up to Oct 1, 2013, production in the Punjab remained short over last year due to slow arrival of phutti.

Phutti arrival figures disclosed that up to Nov 1, Punjab produced 4.578 million bales, showing a rise of 6.40pc in production or 275,535 bales more over the corresponding period last year when 4.303 million bales were produced. But higher arrival of phutti in Sindh is encouraging as the province has so far produced 3.027 million bales or 18.83pc higher cotton over the same period last year when production stood at 2.548m bales, showing an increase of 479,672 bales.

Sindh had been showing higher arrival of phutti ever since the start of the new cotton season whereas the Punjab initially faced shortfall owing to late arrival of phutti, cotton analysts said.

The excessive heat wave at the initial stages of plantation in the Punjab, analysts said, somewhat retarded growth of plants but after receiving rains, the cotton crop managed to recoup and a lot of flowering was witnessed thereafter.

Though there was pest and virus attack on cotton plants in lower Sindh, the province still managed to keep higher production of cotton up to early this month.

Analysts estimate that crop size would be close to 12.85m bales as phutti flow is also close to last year.

During period under review, exporters purchased 191,857 bales as against 125,068 bales they bought in the same period last year.

The spinning mills lifted higher quantity of cotton at 5.691m bales compared to 5.232m bales in the corresponding period last year.

Around 817 ginning units are presently operating in the Punjab compared to 783 last year and in Sindh 269 ginning factories are processing phutti as against 489 last year.