Cotton crop likely to be at 336 lakh bales in 2016-17: CAI

Mumbai, Aug 29 (PTI) Cotton production is estimated tobe at 336 lakh bales for the cotton season 2016-17 startingOctober 1, on better weather conditions, Cotton Association ofIndia (CAI) said in its first estimate. The July estimate for the ongoing cotton season2015-16 stood at 337.75 lakh bales of 170 kgs, CAI said in arelease issued here. CAI further said the acreage under cotton during theensuing 2016-17, is expected to be lower by about 10 per centthan the current year. However, productivity is likely to be higher duringthe 2016-17, due to the better weather conditions across allcotton growing regions of the country, it said. Therefore, CAI said, the crop for the 2016-17 cottonseason is expected to be similar to the cotton crop for thecotton season 2015-16. The total cotton supply for the cotton season 2016-17,is estimated to be at 400 lakh bales while the domesticconsumption is estimated at 308 lakh bales, leaving anavailable surplus of 92 lakh bales. PTI SM NRB ABIBAS