Cotton imports by India are expected to rise to 1 million bales (1 bale = 170 kg) in 2008-09 (October-September) compared to 700,000 bales estimated by Cotton Advisory Board and actual imports of 650,000 bales in 2007-08, Cotton Association of India said on Tuesday.
Besides imports of 400,000-500,000 bales of extra long staple in 2008-09, about 400,000-500,000 bales of medium- and long-staple cotton combined are also likely to be imported because of higher domestic prices, CAI said in its in-house journal ‘Cotton Statistics And News’.