Overview
The fibre usage pattern in the world is continuously shifting from cotton to manmade fibre and the ratio has reversed from 70-30 to 30-70 within ten years. This ratio was 80-20 in favour of cotton three decades earlier.6 With such a drastic change in the demand pattern in the world, Pakistan has responded with a snail’s pace. In fact the local production of manmade fibre is less than what we had a decade ago which means that Pakistan is already out of the 70% of the worlds market7 According to the economic survey of Pakistan 2013-14 the Pakistan textile industry contributes more than 52% to the country total exports, which amounted to $13.78 billion.
Cotton is Pakistan’s principal industrial crop, and a large portion of rural households are critically dependent upon it for their income. Cotton based textile accounts for 46% of the total manufacturing and provides employment to 38% labor force in the manufacturing sector. However, the proportion of skilled labor is less compared to unskilled labor. It is the 4th largest producer of cotton yarn and cloth in the world. Cotton is Pakistan’s basic cash crop. It ranks 2nd in export of yarn and 3rd in export of cloth and is 4th largest producer and consumer of raw cotton.8
