ICAL board met last Sunday to review the cotton production estimates for north India.
Traders expected an upward trend in cotton prices due to low production, which was witnessed on Monday as cotton prices increased by ₹75 per maund of 37.2 kg to reach ₹7,200-7,250 per maund for ready trade.
A trader from Bathinda mandi told Fibre2Fashion, “Growth of cotton plant remained slow in the current season. Therefore, average productivity may decline which will lead to lower production.” Lower Rajasthan and lower Haryana continue to get rainfall during the last lap of the current monsoon season, the impact of which is yet to be ascertained. If the crop gets affected by the disruption in weather, the output may decline further.
Earlier, ICAL had estimated that cotton production may increase by 23.40 per cent to 58.30 lakh bales. Last year, late rain and pink ball worm attack severely affected north India’s cotton production which totalled to 47.41 lakh bales.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)