Unseasonal Conditions Prompt Early Cotton Sowing in Coastal Sindh

Farmers across parts of coastal Sindh have begun planting cotton in mid-November, an unusual timeline for the region, according to a November 9 report by Dawn. The activity has been observed in Thatta and Sujawal districts—including Chuhar Jamali, Mirpur Sakro, Gharo, Buhara, Keti Bunder, and Chhachh Jahan—where growers are utilizing land freed after rice harvests and, in some cases, intercropping cotton with tomatoes.

Cotton cultivation along the coast normally begins in February or March, while planting elsewhere in Pakistan has historically started later. Experts say continued suitable weather through November and early December could expand the area planted in these districts, with sowing potentially carrying on into February and March. A successful harvest could also bring forward the start of ginning in selected parts of Sindh to March. Cotton Ginners Forum chairman Ihsanul Haq said recent temperature shifts had hurt yields and crop quality.

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