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India faces 7.23% drop in cotton production, lowest in 15 years

*.*pt"> India&#**;s cotton production is expected to decrease by *.** per cent to *** lakh bales, each weighing *** kg, during the ****-** crop marketing year (October-September). This projection, a **-year low, has been released by the Cotton Association of India (CAI), attributing the decline to the El-Nino effect on weather, which has adversely affected crop prospects. Despite this decrease in production, a surplus supply is anticipated due to reduced consumption in the industry. 

*.*pt"> The Indian government initially projected cotton production at *** lakh bales for the current year ****-**, following an estimate of *** lakh bales last year. According to the CAI, the expected drop to *** lakh bales marks the lowest level since ****-**. Yields across cotton-growing states are anticipated to fall by * to ** per cent due to unfavourable weather. Additionally, a severe pink bollworm infestation in northern India has led to a significant reduction in crop size estimates, from ** lakh to ** lakh bales.