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India’s cotton output for the season ended September 30, 2022, fell to 307.5 lakh bales (each of 170 kg raw cotton) against 360.13 lakh bales estimated at the beginning of the season in October last year. This is the lowest since 2007-08, when the production was 307 lakh bales.
This is lower by about 13 per cent than 353 lakh bales estimated for the previous season ended September 30, 2021.
Trade body Cotton Association of India (CAI) late on Friday released the final estimates of the cotton crop for the last season, after its Crop Committee meeting on Thursday.
Supply and closing stock
As per CAI estimates, total cotton supply would be at around 392.89 lakh bales including 307.05 lakh bales of the crop, 14 lakh bales of imports and 71.84 lakh bales of carry-over from the previous year. The consumption for the year is estimated at 318 lakh bales besides the exports of 43 lakh bales. The closing stock is estimated at 31.89 lakh bales for the season-ending September 30, 2022.
Cotton output in the largest grower Gujarat is impacted the most due to unseasonal rains and climatic conditions. The output is now estimated at 76.30 lakh bales against the previous year’s projection of 91.5 lakh bales, down by 17 per cent.
Output in Maharashtra and Telangana is estimated to be 75 lakh bales and 35 lakh bales, respectively, against 81 lakh bales and 44 lakh bales, respectively, in the previous year.
The crop in Haryana and Rajasthan is projected at 16.10 lakh bales and 25.67 lakh bales respectively, a tad lower than the previous year. Output in Punjab is seen at 8.5 lakh bales against about 10 lakh bales last year.
The estimate comes on the heels of cotton prices hitting record levels of over ₹95,000 per candy (of 356 kg 29mm ginned variety) and over ₹12,000 for a quintal of raw cotton (kapas) last season.
In the southern region, the cotton output is estimated at 80.40 lakh bales against 91.5 lakh bales estimated for last year.
Cotton output in Madhya Pradesh is estimated higher at 20 lakh bales from 18.5 lakh bales last year.
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