Cotton production in India is estimated to decline by over 11% to 328 lakh bales (of 170 kgs each) for the 2018-19 season, due to scanty rainfall in main growing regions. The country had attained about 365 lakh bales of cotton production in previous fiscal.
The cotton acreage this year was around 123 lakh hectares, with states like Gujarat having rain deficit of 28% and same time there was rain deficit in Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra. Third and fourth picking in most of these cotton growing states had been stooped due to shortage of rain this year, while normally it takes 4 to 5 pickings. Further, Pink Ball worm problems caused cotton plants removal in Maharashtra and Telangana, also weighed on the output.
The cotton board of India estimates an increase of imports by 70-80% to about 27 lakh bales during this season compared to previous year's 15 lakh bales, meanwhile a dip in exports of about 27% is also expected at 50 lakh bales compared to 69 lakh bales last year.