The Cotton Association of India (CAI) has upwardly revised its cotton production estimate for the ongoing 2013-14 season at 38.125 million bales of 170 kg each, Business Standard reported quoting PTI. In February 2014, the cotton industry body had downwardly revised its cotton production estimate to 37.4 million bales from its December 2013 projection of 37.6 million bales for the cotton marketing season that runs from October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014. In 2012-13 cotton year, India produced 35.675 million bales of cotton.
According to CAI's latest estimates, the arrivals this season up to March 31 is 30.175 million bales, and the crop output for 2013-14 season would be 38.125 million bales. Cotton arrivals so far in the Indian market are 750,000 bales more than the arrival estimated during the same period last year, the CAI said in a statement. The increase in 2013-14 cotton output estimate is mainly owing to a rise in production in the two western Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. In Gujarat, cotton production is likely to increase from previous season's 8.64 million bales to 12.2 million bales this season, while in Maharashtra, the output is expected to rise from 7.825 million bales in 2012-13 to 8.3 million bales during the ongoing season.
