Raw cotton exports from India are likely to decline by 38 percent year-on-year to about 8 million bales of 170 kg each during the ongoing marketing season 2012-13, Textiles Commissioner AB Joshi has said.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Cotton Advisory Board (CAB), Mr. Joshi said China has imposed hefty taxes on import of raw cotton and this has forced Chinese textile mills to resort to large-scale imports of cotton yarn, instead of cotton, from other countries.
During the cotton season that ended on September 30, 2012, India exported a record 12.9 million bales of cotton, with China emerging as the largest importer. However, India’s raw cotton exports to China have been slower during the past few months.
In December 2012, India’s cotton exports declined by over 60 percent year-on-year, but its cotton yarn exports to China grew during the month.
Mr. Joshi expects China to continue importing more cotton yarn from India during 2012-13.
In its meeting, the CAB downwardly revised its 2012-13 cotton production forecast to 33 million bales, compared to last season’s output of 35.5 million bales.
Mr. Joshi said about 2 million bales of raw cotton are expected to be imported by Indian traders this year, owing to higher prices prevailing in Indian markets.
