Egypt’s total cotton exports decreased to 114.300 metric kantars from September to November 2019, compared to 186.1 thousand kantars in the same period last season, falling 38.6 percent due to decreased cotton production, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics announced.

The total amount of cotton locally consumed reached 29.300 kantars from September to November 2019, compared to 25.700 kantars from the same period in the previous season, an increase of 14.1 percent.

The CAPMAS statement added that the quantity of ginned cotton reached 388.500 kantars from September to November 2019, compared to 537.200 kantars for the same period in the previous season, a decrease of 32.3 percent.

Egypt’s former Trade and Industry Minister Amr Nassar said in August 2018 that Egypt was planning to develop the cotton industry, diversify its uses in the industry and thus improving the quality of products manufactured by Egyptian cotton, making it more appealing to global markets.

Egyptian cotton production is on course to rebound with help from a devalued currency and bigger cultivation area, recovering from a slide in exports of the world-famous crop since 2011 that was caused by a drop in quality, Reuters reported in 2018.

Output fell drastically in 2011, when political upheaval meant regulations to maintain quality were not enforced.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm