KARACHI: Sustained demand for quality lint kept prices firm on the cotton market on Wednesday amid fears of delay in arrival of next crop.Reports indicate that many parts in lower Sindh are still not getting irrigation water causing delay in cotton sowing.

Consequently, some spinners resorted to panic buying but short supply restricted trading activity.

According to a broker,Mirpur growers complained thatirregular supply of irrigation water was hampering cotton sowing which may adversely impact the overall crop size.

The world leading cotton _market remained easy under the lead of New York Cotton Exchange.

The Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) left its spot rates firm at overnight level of Rs7,500 per maund.

The following deals were reported to have changedhands on the ready counter: 597 bales, Khadro, at Rs5,900; 1,200 bales, Sadigabad, at Rs7,800; 400 bales, Rahimyar Khan, at Rs7,800; 1,400 bales, Khanpur, at Rs7,200 toRs7,750; 400 bales, Bago Bahar, at Rs7,800; 1,000 bales, Noorpur Noranga, at Rs7,100; 800 bales, Rajanpur, at Rs6,700; and 400 bales, Nousakot, at Rs7,800.