PAKISTAN COTTON OUTPUT REACHES 7.7 MLN BALES
Pakistan cotton production during the
current crop season (Sept/March) reached 7.7 mln bales of 375
pounds each, up 500,000 from last season, Shafi Niaz, Chairman
of the Agricultural Prices Commission, said.
    Official sources said Pakistan was likely to use 3.4 mln
bales of cotton during the current financial year ending June
after 2.96 mln in 1985/86 and 2.70 mln in 1984/85.
    They said consumption would increase due to a rise in
demand for cotton yarn in domestic markets and abroad. Pakistan
produced 540 mln kilos of yarn in fiscal year 1985/86 and
exported 157 mln.
    The State-owned cotton export corporation was likely to
export 3.8 mln bales of cotton during the current fiscal year
compared with 3.86 mln last year, cotton traders said.
    The traders said there would be 1.3 mln bales of cotton
carryover this fiscal year compared with just over a mln bales
last year.
 Reuter
