Bad weather to trim cotton output by 10%

MUMBAI: The estimated cotton production for the year ending September '09 has been revised down 9.9% at 290 lakh bales (170 kg each) as against 322 lakh bales estimated earlier by the Cotton Advisory Board (CAB).

The fall in production has been attributed to unstable agro climatic conditions in Gujarat which is the largest cotton producing state in the country. India last year produced 315 lakh bales of cotton.

Textile commissioner and CAB chairman AB Joshi told reporters hree on Friday that in addition to agro climatic factors it was also the red leaf syndrome which affected the crop in certain areas.

"There was re-sowing in some areas which affected the yield," he said. Gujarat is expected to produce about 90 lakh bales as against earlier estimation of 110 lakh bales, while Maharashtra output has been pegged at the previous estimation of 62 lakh bales. Andhra Pradesh output, however has been revised down to 53 lakh bales from earlier 58 lakh bales.

Even the estimated exports have been revised down at 50 lakh bales as compared to earlier 75 lakh bales. The exports are down in comparison to 85 lakh bales last year. Fall in exports is due to higher minimum support price (MSP) announced by the government, which has kept the local prices on upper side in comparison to international price.

Import of cotton has been revised up to 7 lakh bales as against 5 lakh bales previously. The country imported 6.5 lakh bales of cotton a year ago.

The total area under the crop has been revised up at 93.7 lakh hectares as against 92.6 previously. The area under the Bt cotton is estimates at 70 lakh hectares of the total area under cultivation.