India second largest cotton producer in world

NEW DELHI: With a production of 5.355 million tonnes in 2007, India was the second largest cotton producer in the world after China, Government said on Friday.

Replying to supplementaries in Rajya Sabha, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said, "according to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates for 2007, India is the second largest producer of cotton in the world after China. The other three leading producers are the US, Pakistan and Brazil".

India's cotton production in 2007 was 5.355 million tonnes, while that of China was 8.078 million tonnes. The US, Pakistan and Brazil came third, fourth and fifth with 4.182 million tonnes, 1.845 million tonnes and 1.603 million tonnes production respectively last year.