No abstract

Cotton is the most important cash crop in Pakistan and cotton products export account for 55 percent of all foreign exchange earnings of the country. Nearly 26 percent of farmers grow cotton, and over 15 percent of total cultivated area is devoted to this crop, with production primarily in two provinces. Approximately 65 percent of Pakistan's cotton is grown in Punjab, which has dry conditions, and the rest is grown in Sindh, which has a more humid climate, with negligible area under cotton in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Cotton production accounts for 4.5 percent of the value added in AgGDP and 0.8 per cent of GDP. It serves as the raw material for the textile industry, the country's largest agro-industrial sector 2 , employs 17 percent, earns 60 percent of foreign exchange and contributes 8.5 percent to GDP. Despite its importance, cotton productivity in Pakistan has been underwhelming. The country now ranks 4th in terms of area under cotton cultivation but ranks 39th in cotton productivity per hectare. Cotton yield in Pakistan is forecasted around 513 kgs per hectare in 2019/20 against 1660 kgs per hectare in Brazil which ranks 5th in area under cotton cultivation (Figures 1 and 2).