The nation is largely dependent on the cotton industry and its related textile sector, and the crop has been given a principal status in the country. Cotton is grown as an industrial crop in 15% of the nation's land during the monsoon months of May to August, known as the kharif period, and is grown at a smaller scale between February and April. Record production of cotton was reported at 15 million bales of 470 pounds (210 kg) each in the form of phutti (seed cotton) during 2014–15, which was an 11% rise compared to the previous season (2013–14).[1] Production-wise, as of 2012–13, Pakistan occupied the fourth position among the cotton growers of the world, the first three being China, India and the United States, in that order.[2] In respect of exports of raw cotton, Pakistan holds third position, and is the fourth in consumption (about 30 and 40 per cent of its production).