MUMBAI, Oct 31 (Reuters) - India’s cotton production in 2023/24 is likely to fall 7.5% from a year earlier to 29.5 million bales on lower planted area and as El Nino weather hit productivity, a leading trade body said on Tuesday.

Imports could rise to 2.2 million bales in the marketing year that started on Oct. 1, up from the last year’s 1.25 million bales, Cotton Association of India (CAI) said in a statement.

1 bale= 170 kg Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Sonali Paul