Cotton and textiles are the mainstay for the economy of Pakistan contributing >60 in the foreign exchange earnings (US$ 12-15 billion annually), 0.8 ~1.5 in the national Gross Domestic Product and adds 2.4 ~ 7.0 value in agriculture sector. Cottoncultivation in this part of the subcontinent dates back to 3000 BC, as cotton fibers were found during excavations at Mohanjo Daro in Sindh, an ancient civilization of the Old Indus Basin. Though all four provinces cultivate cotton, but 74 is cultivatedin the Punjab province, 25 in Sindh province while about 1 percent area under cotton lies in other two provinces of Khyber Pakhunkhwa and Balochistan. Pakistan used to grow cotton on 3.2 million ha but other competitive crops like maize, rice and sugarcane replaced its area and it reduced to 2 million ha for the last 5 years.
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