The Exports of Cotton From Egypt Decreased by 38.8% During June-August 2013 Period

The exports of cotton from Egypt decreased by 38.8 percent during June-August 2013 period, according to the data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).

Egypt exported 91,600 quintal of cotton during the three-month period compared to exports of 149,500 quintal made during the same period last year, CAPMAS said in its quarterly newsletter for the fourth quarter of the 2012-13 agricultural year. CAPMAS attributed the drop in cotton exports to a decrease in amount of ginned cotton during the season.

According to the quarterly bulletin, the amount of ginned cotton reached 19,200 quintal during June-August 2013, as against 318,900 quintal of ginned cotton during the same period of the previous season, registering a decline of 94 percent.

CAPMAS attributed this substantial decline to the decrease in the area under cotton cultivation, which dipped by 35.9 percent to 333,000 acres (1in 2011-12 agricultural season compared to 520,000 acres in 2010-11 agricultural season.

Meanwhile, the total amount of cotton consumed by domestic enterprises reached 138,500 quintal during the quarter versus 326,500 quintal cotton consumed during the same period of the previous season, showing a decline of 57.6 percent. CAPMAS also attributed the decline in domestic cotton consumption to a decrease in the quantity of ginned cotton during the season.

During the quarter under review, Egypt imported 141,600 quintal of cotton, showing a substantial increase of 1788.8 percent over 7,500 quintal of cotton imported during the corresponding period of the previous season. In fact, imported cotton filled the shortage of ginned cotton in the domestic market, the press release said.