The Cotton Advisory Board (CAB) has projected the exports of natural fibre at 80 lakh bales in the 2011-12 cotton season, Parliament was informed today. Exports stood at 70 lakh bales (of 170 kg each) in the 2010-11 year, according to CAB estimates.
The cotton season runs from October to September. “The Cotton Advisory Board reviewed the cotton balance sheet on November 15 and estimated cotton exports at 80 lakh bales (this year),” the Minister of State for Textiles, Ms Panabaka Lakshmi, said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
According to the Board’s estimates, the natural fibre output is estimated at 356 lakh bales in the current cotton season against 325 lakh bales last year.
Replying to another query in the House, the Minister said, CAB assessed domestic mill consumption of cotton for 2011-12 at 210 lakh bales from 240 lakh bales last year, indicating a slowdown in the textiles industry.
In September this year, the Government removed restrictions on the export of the natural fibre and permitted shipments under the Open General Licence.
In the last season, the Government had initially allowed exports of 55 lakh bales of cotton to protect the domestic textiles industry in the face of rising raw material prices.
Later, another 10 lakh bales were permitted for export.
Referring to the Cotton Yarn Advisory Board estimates, Ms Lakshmi said cotton yarn production is expected to be 32,000 lakh kg for the 2011-12 fiscal compared to 39,000 lakh kg during the last year.
On March 31, the Government had removed the restrictions on cotton yarn exports for 2011-12 fiscal year.
Prior to the lifting of restrictions, cotton yarn exports were capped at 7,200 lakh kgs for the 2010-11.