Pakistan Cotton Fashion Apparel Manufacture exporters Association (PCFA) is a prominent Licensed Trade Body. It is the largest export earning sector representing highly dynamic and value added industry in leather and leather products besides being job oriented sector. The industry employs about 200,000 people directly, producing fine quality finished Cotton Fashion Apparel for export as well as for home consumption. It contributes the overall export earnings of the country and is considered to be the most significant factor which plays viable role in revamping economic spectrum of the country.

250 Members currently registered with Pakistan Cotton Fashion Apparel Association from all over the country are actively engaged in manufacturing and fully geared towards promoting export of quality finished Cotton Fashion Apparel products on modern pattern as per international demand and are playing their positive role in earning much needed foreign exchange by invigorating country's exports. They are courageously prepared to meet the challenges of WTO regime and other global pressures with quality consciousness and full sense of responsibilities to uphold the impeccable image of leather industry within the ambit of national policies, rules & regulations and international conditional ties.

During the last three years PCFA has been actively promoting the interest of its members regarding various trades, taxation and manpower related matters. PCFA regularly collects and disseminates statistics & other pertinent information for the Cotton Fashion Apparel Industry. PCFA also carries out aggressive international marketing campaign for boosting the exports of Cotton Fashion Apparel mainly through participation in international exhibitions. PCFA regularly organizes pavilion for its members in following exhibitions.



History

Cotton is the sustaining force of the textile industry in Pakistan. We have graduated to a free import and export regime that has seen us becoming the world's largest consumers of the prime US PIMA cotton. We also consume more cotton than we are able to grow. We cannot continue to grow at this rate without the support of our farmers and with the existing cotton crop.

Pakistan Cotton Association is a representative body, which takes care the interest of the ginners and coordinates their problems with the Federal and Provincial Government Agencies to resolve them. After independence in 1947 the Cotton Ginning Industry in Pakistan had desolate and farlon look of dependency due to the migration of Hindu and Sikh owners who left Pakistan not only with the know how but also with most parts of the ginning machinery to India. The Pakistan took over the industry mostly by allotment as an evacuee property and tried to operate the factories what so ever machinery was available through trials and tribulations set the Industry in motion. This happened from 1947 to 1950. During this period the Provincial Government came out with Punjab and Bahawalpur Cotton Control Act and tried to regulate working condition of the ginning factories through Cotton Inspectors. In 1960 the Cotton Ginning Factories were transferred from the allottees to the new buyers. The new owners of the ginning factories braved the situation and with the best of their ability and available means, left no stone unturned in boostering up the efficiency of ginning operations and standardization of lint, quality wise and grade wise in Pakistan. The Cotton Control Act 1949 was replaced with Pakistan Cotton Control Act 1966, which is now covering the Punjab and Sindh Provinces.

In order to safeguard the interests on all Pakistan bases and to project the problems of ginners for consideration of the Federal and Provincial Governments, to educate and advise the cotton ginners, to adopt ways the cotton could be improved to the International standard Pakistan Cotton Association came into existence in 1958 and recognized and licensed as 'A' class Association by the Federal Government of Pakistan.

For the last sixty eight years of its existence, the Karachi Cotton Association has dealt with day to day problems concerning the marketing of cotton efficiently and effectively under the free economic system, where forces of supply and demand pay their role to establish price levels equitable to all sections of the cotton economy. The country's cotton crop has expanded from 1.1 million bales in 1947-48 to 11.18 million bales in 1999-2000 and quality and grades have also improved considerably.

Recommendations of the Karachi Cotton Association at various stages have also encouraged the research workers to evolve new varieties of cotton. this has resulted in the production of longer staple cotton to cater to the needs of foreign buyers and local mills.

Cotton is the most important produce of the country and its contribution in the national economy is outstanding. It is also a major foreign exchange earner for the country. Pakistan cottons are recognised the world over as finest cottons for spinning of coarse and medium count yarns. These have excellent strength, desirable micronaire, good uniformity ratio and compare favorably with cottons in the comparable staple range. Despite the fact that private sector was earlier disallowed export of cotton, it continued to take all possible steps in expanding the markets for Pakistan cotton.

Beside advising authorities on various aspects of cotton policy, the Karachi Cotton Association maintains liaison with ginners and textile mills for orderly and smooth flow of cotton from farms and factories and onwards to mills and for export.



What is Cotton?

Cotton, belonging to a family that includes hibiscus and okra, produces a natural vegetable fiber used in the manufacture of cloth. Cotton produces a sweet nectar that attracts a variety of destructive insect pests, including the boll weevil, bollworm, armyworm, and the red spider. In addition to insect pests, there is also a very destructive fungus, called the wilt,that attacks the root system of the cotton plant.