CAI retains India's 2020-21 cotton crop estimate at 360 lakh bales

Date:05-14-2021

For the current marketing season 2020-21 that began on October 1, the Cotton Association of India (CAI) has estimated cotton crop at 360 lakh bales of 170 kg each (i.e. 382.50 lakh running bales of 160 kg each). CAI's April estimate is at the same level as the previous estimate. The CAI estimated total cotton supply for the season at 496 lakh bales.

The total cotton supply for the months of October 2020 to April 2021 is estimated by the CAI at 469.37 lakh bales, which consists of the arrivals of 336.37 lakh bales, imports of 8 lakh bales, and the opening stock estimated by the CAI at 125 lakh bales at the beginning of the season. 

Further, the CAI has estimated cotton consumption for the months of October 2020 to April 2021 at 190 lakh bales, while the export shipments upto April 30, 2021 are estimated at 50 lakh bales. Stock at the end of April 2021 is estimated at 229.37 lakh bales, including 95.00 lakh bales with textile mills and the remaining 134.37 lakh bales with the CCI, Maharashtra Federation and others (MNCs, traders, ginners, MCX, etc including the cotton sold but not delivered).

The CAI Crop Committee has estimated the total cotton supply till end of the cotton season 2020-21 at the same level i.e. at 496.00 lakh bales upto September 30, 2021. The total cotton supply consists of the opening stock of 125 lakh bales at the beginning of the cotton season on October 1, 2020, crop for the season estimated at 360 lakh bales and the imports estimated by the CAI at 11 lakh bales. The imports estimate for the previous cotton season 2019-20 was 15.50 lakh bales. 

The domestic consumption estimated by the CAI has been reduced by 15 lakh bales to 315 lakh bales from its previous estimate of 330 lakh bales. The exports for the season have been estimated by CAI at 65 lakh bales, which are higher by 5 lakh bales than 60 lakh bales estimated previously.  

The exports estimate for the previous cotton season 2019-20 was of 50 lakh bales. The carry-over stock at the end of the cotton season 2020-21 on September 30, 2021, is estimated by the CAI at 116 lakh bales as against 107.50 lakh bales estimated for the previous cotton season 2019-20.