Cotton sowing in Sindh has started in the second week of November for the first time, as farmers in the coastal districts begin months early in a shift driven by changing climate patterns.
Traditionally, cotton sowing in Sindh began in February and March in the coastal districts, while the rest of the country planted from May 1 to the first week of June. This year, favourable temperatures in the second week of November encouraged farmers in Thatta and Sujawal to begin months early.
The early sowing covers Chuhar Jamali, Mirpur Sakro, Gharo, Buhara, Keti Bunder and Chhachh Jahan, Dawn reported. Farmers are using fields cleared after the rice harvest, while some are growing cotton between standing tomato crops.
The country’s leading agricultural research institutions are working together on the challenges climate change poses, as the crop calendar keeps shifting.
Cotton sowing in Sindh moves earlier
Over the years, changing temperature patterns have already moved the sowing season to February in coastal Sindh and some districts of Punjab, and to April and May elsewhere. The November start goes further still, breaking with the pattern entirely.
Experts say that if temperatures stay favourable through November and early December, a record area could come under cotton in these districts, with sowing expected to run until February and March.
They believe a successful crop could bring an unprecedentedly early start to the cotton ginning season in selected areas of Sindh, as early as March.
Cotton Ginners Forum Chairman Ihsanul Haq said unseasonal temperature swings in recent years had badly disrupted Pakistan’s crop cycles, cutting yields per acre, hurting crop quality and dealing a blow to the national economy.
Why cotton matters for Sindh
Cotton is one of Pakistan’s most important cash crops, feeding the textile industry that earns a large share of the country’s export income. A shift in when it can be sown changes the economics of farming across Sindh.
The early sowing also follows a difficult year for the province’s growers. Sindh recorded a 50.8 per cent monsoon rainfall deficit in 2026, and growers have warned of a severe winter water shortage for wheat. A relief package for farmers in Tharparkar has been announced for the drought-hit district, while urea prices have risen again as fertiliser firms announce fresh hikes.
Against that background, a longer cotton season could help coastal farmers. If the early crop succeeds, it would give them a harvest months before the usual ginning season and a second income stream from fields that would otherwise sit empty until February.
The same warming trend is visible elsewhere in the country. A UN report has warned that heatwaves in Punjab threaten agriculture and food security, with fruit yields down by half and heat stress spreading livestock disease. The climate is rewriting the farming calendar in both provinces at once.
What happens next
Sowing in the coastal districts is expected to continue until February and March if temperatures stay favourable. The test will come in the weeks ahead: a cold snap could damage the early crop, while steady warmth could deliver a record area under cotton and the earliest ginning season Sindh has seen.
Frequently asked questions
When did cotton sowing start in Sindh this year?
Cotton sowing began in the second week of November in coastal districts of Sindh, the first time it has started in November.
When does cotton sowing usually start in coastal Sindh?
Sowing traditionally started in February and March in the coastal districts, while the rest of the country planted from May 1 to the first week of June.
Which districts have started early sowing?
Farmers in Thatta and Sujawal districts have started sowing, including in Chuhar Jamali, Mirpur Sakro, Gharo, Buhara, Keti Bunder and Chhachh Jahan.
Why did farmers sow so early?
Favourable temperatures in the second week of November encouraged farmers to begin cultivation, and experts say the shift is driven by changing climate patterns.
What could early sowing mean for the ginning season?
Experts believe a successful crop could lead to an unprecedentedly early start to the cotton ginning season in selected areas of Sindh by as early as March.
