KARACHI: Buying remained insignificant on cotton market on back of slow ginning and buying activities, traders said. Returning of workforce to the ginneries has started becoming normal after Eid holidays. However second grade of lint changed hands at around Rs 6,575 per maund on a month forward deal in a southern Punjab station, floor brokers said. The fresh crop arrival has now started normal and initial bottom-line price of Rs 6,200 per maund has attracted buyers to make deals on their own. The sellers withholding fine grades of lint in order to capitalise premium price kept themselves on sidelines, fibre dealers said. The Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) spot rate stayed stable at Rs 6,200 per maund with thin volumes, while majority of the stakeholders remained indulged in price war, brokers said. The better grades of lint would make inroad as demand from leading spinners and mills at Sindh and Punjab stations remained intact, floor brokers said. Brokers said during trading session around 360 bales changed hands with a range of Rs 6,025 per maund to Rs 6,675 per maund in Punjab and Sindh stations. Ginners in Sindh and Punjab stations remained engaged in price war with the buyers on issue of better grade of lint besides growing demand of second grade of lint kept market sentiments on higher side despite shrinking domestic fine stocks. Ginners of Punjab and Sindh offered lots around Rs 6,425 per maund and Rs 6,750 per maund to the buyers, while Punjab ginners offered their better produce on competitive prices at around Rs 6,775 per maund. Raw grades of lint changed hands around at Rs 6,000 per maund, depending on trash level. The secondary buyers made deals for all grades of lint around at Rs 6,200 per maund while the raw cotton of Sindh was traded around Rs 5,975 per maund. A senior trader, Ghulam Rabbani said market sentiments would remain positive after resumption of business, while ginners withholding better grades of lint would fetch better price and the general prices would also go further up in coming days. He said market players have demanded of the government to invite international experts on cottonseed in order to develop better seed domestically besides enhancing yield acreage to avoid huge imports. He said quality was becoming rare now and the millers, in need of good quality cotton would make all possible efforts to find and cover their needs. Rabbani said international market was likely to stay firm as we were heading into October 2017 notice period. However, with higher inflation looming, cotton prices should continue to move higher over the longer term on domestic and international front. Published in Daily Times, July 4th , 2017.