Cotton output estimated at 370 lakh bales in 2013-14

Cotton production is estimated to be at 370 -375 lakh bales in 2013 -14 season, while the fibre’s exports are likely to remain flat at 100 lakh bales this year, Textiles Minister K S Rao said today.

The Agriculture Ministry has pegged the cotton output at 353 lakh bales (of 170 kg each) for this season.

“This year cotton production is estimated to be 370 lakh bales or 375 lakh bales and our requirement is only about 270 lakh bales in the current cotton season, so there will be excess cotton of 100 lakh bales which we have permitted under the Open General Licence (OGL) with registration,” Rao said.

In the last cotton season (October—September), the production was around 340 lakh bales. The domestic consumption was 260 lakh bales and exports were at 100 lakh bales.

“We want to motivate cotton growers and suggest the best practices adopted by developed countries in the area of cotton production. In India, yield per acre of cotton is much less compared to developed countries and we want to do R&D in this regard,” Rao said.

The increase in the natural fibre output in this year is likely to be on account of good monsoon mainly in cotton growing states and increase in acreage.

On the proposed Cotton Distribution Policy, Rao said, “This has been referred to a Group of Ministers (GoM) who are expected to meet in a couple of days.”

Due to differences of opinion among key ministries, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had on September 12 deferred a decision on the cotton distribution policy that proposed a 10 per cent export duty on cotton beyond a declared exportable surplus.

India is the world’s second—largest cotton producer and exporter. Of the country’s total natural fibre exports, China accounts for about 75 per cent.