Cotton Advisory Board (CAB) revealed yesterday that the cotton production for October 2006-September 2007 period was expected to reach 270 lakh bales (1 bale=170 kg), representing year-on-year rise over six percent.
Of the 23.28 lakh hectares of cultivation in Gujarat, the recent floods have caused a damage of 3.22 lakh hectares, while the loss in Maharashtra has been estimated at 2.16 lakh of the 30.82 lakh hectares.
However, total land under cultivation is estimated at 92.6 lakh hectare, 4.36 percent more than that in last year.
Exports for this were estimated at around 33 lakh bales in May 2005 and now have been amended 47 lakh bales while during the 2006-2007 period exports are expected to touch atleast 55 lakh bales.
China has been the chief importer of cotton, accounting for 70 percent of the India's total exports.
Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh is probably to record the top production at 143 lakh bales with an output of 2.57 bales per hectare
Gujarat is likely to be the largest as well as the most efficient producer with 89 lakh bales for the period as against the previous production of 73 lakh bales.
Meanwhile, cotton import is estimated to mere four lakh bales this year, as against 12.17 lakh bales during 2004-2005 period.
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