Cotton output likely to cross 400 lakh bales next season

According to the Cotton Advisory Board, production for the season ending next month will be 390 lakh bales

In India, cotton prices were almost stable for the last one year and prices are likely to come down. File photo: M. Murali

Cotton production is expected to cross 400 lakh bales next season (October 2014 to September 2015), according to trade representatives.

Anand Popat, Secretary of Saurashtra Ginners’ Association, and Dilip Patel, President of All Gujarat Cotton Ginners’ Association, told The Hindu here on Wednesday that total cotton production next season was estimated to be 404 lakh bales. Since monsoon was delayed, cotton arrivals would be late by a month. Production in Gujarat was expected to be 135 lakh bales, which would be almost the same as the current cotton season (2013-14). If the yield improved, production in Gujarat would go up, they said.

According to the Cotton Advisory Board, cotton production for the season ending next month will be 390 lakh bales and exports will be over 110 lakh bales.

Bhadresh Mehta, Managing Director of Bhadresh Trading Corporation, said 58 per cent of India’s cotton exports were to China and the rest to countries such as South Korea, Bangladesh, Thailand and Vietnam. At present, China’s policy is not favourable for import of cotton from other countries and clarity is expected on its course of action in a month. Globally, with stocks piling up and slowdown in demand, the impact was felt on the prices even now. In India, cotton prices were almost stable for the last one year and prices are likely to come down.