Marginal fall in world cotton production likely

Mumbai, May 13: The world cotton production is likely to fall marginally during the 2007-08 season, according to the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).

The yield in India, however, is expected to increase slightly to 4.7 million tonnes. Production in China is expected to decline slightly and will be around 6.5 million tonnes, which is still the second largest producer to date.

Area under cotton cultivation is expected to decline significantly in US to 4.9 million hectares, as skyrocketing corn prices are luring away land from cotton production. Cotton production in US is estimated to decline in the US by ten per cent to 4.3 million tonnes. However, cotton production in Pakistan is expected to increase by five per cent to 2.2 million tonnes.

World cotton consumption is projected to increase by two per cent to 26.7 million tonnes with China continuing to the main driver of this rise with an estimatetd consumption of 10.89 million tonnes or 40 per cent of the world total.

Cotton consumption in India is also expected to rise from 4 million tonnes to 4.2 million tonnes in 2007-08.

World cotton exports has been projected to climb to 9.21 million tonnes, compared to 8.51 million tonnes this year. Exports by US are expected to recover most of the lost ground in 2006-07 to rise again to 3.69 million tonnes in 2007-08. The ICAC foresees a drop in export in India and Australia.

UNI