The Cotton Association of India (CAI) envisages a total supply of 34.37 million cotton bales as on May 31, 2009.
This will comprise opening stock at 4.3 million bales, crop production of 29.07 million bales and import of 1 million bales till last month.
On the demand side, the mill consumption is expected to be 20 million bales, consumption by small-scale units, 2 million, non-mill use, 1.5 million, and exports, 4 million bales, adding up to a total demand of 27.5 million bales.
This would leave the carry-over stock at 6.87 million bales, CAI said in its crop estimates for the season 2008-09. Taking into account the actual ground situation and other relevant factors, the association recently made a downward revision of its cotton production estimate for the current season. The association’s current estimate of the crop is lower at 29.07 million bales.
