India's cotton output to decline marginally on delayed sowing, low yield

Data compiled estimates total cotton output at 39 mn bales this season ending September 2015 as against 39.8 million bales reported last year

Cotton output in India is likely to decline by a marginal two per cent due to massive decline in yield following delayed sowing last year.

Data compiled by the ministry of textiles showed total cotton output at 39 million bales (1 bale = 170 kgs) this season ending September 2015, against 39.8 million bales of the fibre production reported last year. The fall in cotton was estimated after various stakeholders met on Tuesday in the Cotton Advisory Board meeting here.

“The fall in output can be attributed to delayed rainfall in the last monsoon season, resulting in a delay in sowing. While sowing caught momentum with the onset of the monsoon rainfall, which resulted into massive increase in overall sowing, yield could not catch up accordingly. Next year too, we are estimating sowing to remain higher, for which much would depend upon price movement,” said Kiran Soni Gupta, textile commissioner, ministry of textile.

Meanwhile, the public sector procurement agency plans to procure only nine million bales of cotton this year, involving a sum of Rs 16000 crore of which it has already procure 8.6 million bales.

Competition Commission of India is in talks with the governments of Vietnam and Sri Lanka for exporting cotton as import from India’s perennial buyer, China, has slowed due to bumper local production.

Meanwhile, India’s cotton yield is expected to decline 10 per cent to 511 kgs per ha this season as against 565.7 kgs per ha during previous season.

Late sowing pick up resulted in an increase in sowing at 13 million ha thus season as against 12 million ha last year.

B K Mishra, chairman and managing director of CCI, said, “Cotton does not have any threat in terms of diversion of area as no cash crop offers as much returns as cotton does. Area under cotton will continue to rise. Only concern is falling yield.”