India's cotton exports grew 137% at 83 lakh bales in 2009-10

India's cotton exports increased 137 per cent to 83 lakh bales, of 170 kg each, during the crop year October-September 2009-10, over the previous year.

The provisional export figure for the cotton year 2009-10, was today given by Minister of State in Textiles Ministry Panabaaka Lakshmi, in a written reply to Lok Sabha. 

The country had exported 35 lakh bales of the natural fibre in the 2008-09 crop year.

In the wake of rising cotton prices in the domestic market, the government has recently restricted exports of the fibre and also imposed an export duty of Rs 2,500 per tonne on raw cotton.

"Cotton exports are placed in the restricted category and exports are permitted under license...," Lakshmi said.

As per the estimates of Cotton Association of India, the production of the natural fibre in 2009-10 is estimated at 305.5 lakh bales.