RSA ginners produce 22041 tons of cotton lint for MY 2005/06
08 Nov '06
3 min read
Production of cotton lint by RSA ginners totalled 22 041 tons for the 2005/06 marketing year (1 April to 31 March), down 21 percent from the previous year.
Total RSA hectares planted to cotton were 39 percent down from the previous season due to low international prices and the stronger Rand against the US dollar at planting time.
About 92 percent of the cotton lint production of 22 041 tons was produced by local ginners from cotton grown in the RSA whilst approximately 5 percent of the production was produced from cotton grown in Swaziland with the remaining 3 percent representing Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia cotton purchases, ginned in the RSA.
All Swaziland grown cotton, as is the case in respect of Namibia and Botswana cotton, is ginned in South Africa.
Production of cotton lint by RSA ginners for the 2006/07 marketing year is estimated at about 17 700 tons, which represents a 20 percent decrease over the previous season.
Approximately 17 500 tons are estimated to be produced from RSA grown seed cotton, whilst the balance of 200 tons relates to expected seed cotton purchases from neighbouring countries, 96 percent of which is from Swaziland.
The decrease in production can mainly be attributed to an estimated 12 percent decrease in RSA irrigation hectares due to low international prices as well as the fact that less seed cotton is being received by local ginners from neighbouring countries.
Looking ahead towards production prospects for the 2007/08 marketing season, early predictions are that production could recover somewhat to levels of the previous season(2005/06).
marketing@alchempro.com
