Cotton production for 2016-17 expected at 341 lakh bales

The cotton output is estimated at 341 lakh bales for 2016-17 season, up from 337.75 lakh bales last year, an industry association said in its December projection.
Cotton production stood at 337.75 lakh bales in the same period last year, Cotton Association Of India (CAI) said in a release here.
The projected balance sheet drawn by the CAI estimated total cotton supply for the 2016-17 season (which began on October 1 last year) at 404 lakh bales.
The increase in estimate is mainly due to expected rise in production in the north and central zones. However, a marginal drop in output in expected in the south zone, it said.

Meanwhile, the domestic consumption is estimated at 290 lakh bales, leaving a surplus of 114 lakh bales, it said.
The arrivals of cotton during the ongoing 2016-17 crop year are estimated to be lower than those up to the same period last year due to holding back of seed cotton by farmers, the release added.