India's 2015-16 cotton production is estimated at 26.8 million bales, down 3.6% or 1 million bales from last month forecast and down 9.2% from last year, as per the latest forecast from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Cotton harvest in India is almost complete and for three consecutive months, January, February and March, USDA has decreased estimated production by 1.8, 0.7 and 3.6 percent, respectively.
Harvested area is estimated at 11.8 million hectares, same as last month forecast, and down 7.1% from last year. Yield is estimated at a 5-year low of 494 kg/ha, down 3.7% from last month and down 2.4% from last year. In the past five years India’s cotton area and yields have averaged 11.95 million hectares and 530 kg/ha, respectively.