اس آرٹیکل کو اردو میں پڑھنے کیلئے کلک کریں
Cotton is Pakistan’s most important cash crop — nearly 70% of national production comes from Punjab, and it sustains the entire textile industry and a large share of foreign exchange earnings. In recent years the Punjab Agriculture Department has pushed early cotton cultivation (mid-February to March 31) as the key strategy against climate stress, and the results are strong: early-sown cotton faces less pest pressure, uses soil moisture better, and yields up to 50–60 maunds per acre.
This guide covers sowing windows, approved triple-gene varieties, seed rates, spacing, and pest management for maximum per-acre yield.
Best Cotton Sowing Time in Pakistan
- Early cotton: mid-February to March 31 — the department’s recommended window for 2026. February–March temperatures protect the crop from extreme heat, monsoon rains, whitefly, and pink bollworm pressure.
- Normal sowing: April–May in the core cotton belt.
The most suitable districts for early cotton are in the Multan, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Sargodha, and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions. Punjab has targeted 0.7 million acres for early cotton cultivation.
Approved Varieties: Triple-Gene Only for Early Sowing
For early cultivation the department strictly recommends only triple-gene varieties certified by the Federal Seed Certification & Registration Department. Recommended varieties include BTCIM 775, BTCIM 343, BTCIM 663, BTCyto 537, BTCyto 511, FH-333, HATAF-3, CKC-1, CKC-3, CKC-5, and ICI-386.
This is not optional advice: triple-gene cotton is glyphosate-tolerant, so fields can be sprayed for weeds. Sowing non-triple-gene seed and then spraying glyphosate will kill the crop. Non-approved varieties are also far more vulnerable to pink bollworm and sucking pests.
Cotton Seed Rate Per Acre
- Drill sowing, good seed (75%+ germination): 4–5 kg per acre
- Drill sowing, average seed (60% germination): 5–6 kg per acre
- High-quality certified seed: as low as 2–3 kg per acre by drill
Always keep about 10% extra seed to fill gaps in the field. Use only certified, disease-free seed — low germination (around 60%) is one of the biggest documented yield killers in Pakistani cotton.
Plant Spacing & Field Layout
- Row to row: 2.5 feet
- Plant to plant: 1.5–2 feet
Proper spacing ensures airflow (reducing boll rot and disease), lets sunlight reach lower bolls, and makes picking — manual or mechanical — far easier. Picking typically runs from September to December, with two to three pickings per season.
Pest & Disease Management
The major threats to cotton in Pakistan:
- Sucking pests: whitefly, jassid, thrips, aphids — early-sown cotton faces significantly less pressure from these
- Bollworms: pink bollworm and American bollworm — the main reason to use approved triple-gene varieties
- Diseases: cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV), bacterial blight, boll rot, root rot
- Weeds: itsit, swanki, dheela, khabal — compete for water and nutrients and host insect pests
Scout fields weekly from squaring onward. Treat seed before sowing, rotate pesticide chemistry to slow resistance, and destroy crop residue after final picking to break the pink bollworm cycle.
Expected Yield & Economics
- Early cotton, good management: 50–60 maunds per acre
- National average range: roughly 1,800–2,200 kg per acre on well-managed farms
- Bonus: cotton seed contains ~35% oil and ~35% protein, giving additional value beyond lint
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best sowing time for cotton in Pakistan?
For early cotton: mid-February to March 31. For normal sowing in the cotton belt: April–May. Early sowing gives higher yields and fewer pest problems.
How much cotton seed per acre?
2–3 kg per acre by drill with high-germination certified seed; 4–5 kg at 75%+ germination; 5–6 kg if germination is only 60%. Keep 10% extra for gap filling.
Which cotton variety is best in Pakistan?
For early sowing, only approved triple-gene varieties: BTCIM 775, FH-333, CKC series, and others certified by the Federal Seed Certification Department.
What is the average cotton yield per acre in Pakistan?
Well-managed early cotton reaches 50–60 maunds per acre; the broader national range on good farms is around 1,800–2,200 kg per acre.