India: Higher Production on Less Acreage as New Season Begins

India is expected to produce 35.1 million bales (170 Kgs) of cotton during the new growing season that began on October 1.

In its first official meeting of the new season, the Cotton Advisory Board (CAB) – India’s official industry body – met in Mumbai on October 24 to determine the year’s first estimate of cotton production.

The 35.1 million bale estimate is 1.3 million bales higher than the last year’s crop estimate of 33.8 million bales. Total cotton supply is expected to be 41.1 million bales, with an opening stock of 4.3 million bales, down from the previous year’s opening stock of 6.6 million bales.

Mill consumption is expected to remain unchanged.

Anticipated exports for the year are estimated at 5.0 million bales – a decrease from the 2015-16 production year.

The CAB expects total cotton acreage of 10.5 million hectares this season, a reduction of about 1.4 million hectares from last season. Yet, increases in yield in all major cotton-producing zones should more than offset the loss of acreage.

The average yield for all of India is estimated to be 568 kilograms per hectare. The northern zone of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan should see an average yield of about 668 kilograms per hectare – about 210 kilograms more per hectare compared to last season.