Slump In Cotton Output Predicted

Cotton production in the country is likely fall during the crop year 1997-98 (October-September), while the area under cotton cultivation is also expected to dip by 400,000 hectares, the International Cotton Advisory Council (ICAC) has said.

Cotton output, which has been hovering around 16 million bales (of 170 kg each) during the last two crop years, is estimated to dip to just a little over 15.5 million bales, the ICAC, a body of cotton growing countries has said in its latest issue.

The fall in production is being attributed to reduction in the area of cultivation from about 8.9 million hectares in the current crop year (October 1996 to September 1997) to about 8.5 million hectares in the next.

According to the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), the area under cotton cultivation has already declined by 135,000 hectares this year to 8.9 million hectares from 9.06 million hectares.

In contrast to the fall in production, the ICAC has estimated the domestic consumption in the next crop year to be 16.2 million bales, up by 500,000 bales from the projected consumption of 15.7 million bales this year.

While the carry-over stock is estimated to be the same as this year, cotton import, the ICAC said, is likely to increase drastically. It has estimated that cotton import could be as much as 600,000 bales against the 48,000 bales projected to be shipped in this year.

India has exported 10.9 million bales of cotton this crop year, it said.