April 10 (Bloomberg) -- Cotton futures rose for the first time in a week on signals that demand will climb for exports from the U.S., the worldΆs biggest shipper.

In the year ending July 31, U.S. exports will be 13 million bales, up from 12.75 million projected last month and 11.71 million a year earlier, the Department of Agriculture said today in a report. The agency boosted its estimate for the domestic crop to 17.29 million bales from 17.01 million last month. A bale weighs 480 pounds, or 218 pounds.

“The report was friendly because even though the U.S. output was increased, the rise in exports neutralized that, and it also shows good demand,” Jack Scoville, a vice president at Price Futures Group in Chicago said in a telephone interview.

Cotton for July delivery gained 1 percent to settle at 87.48 cents a pound at 2:30 p.m. on ICE Futures U.S. in New York. The contract dropped 4.5 percent in the previous four sessions.

The Cotton Association of India said today that imports may climb to 1.5 million bales this year from 1.2 million estimated in February. An Indian bale weighs 170 kilograms, or 375 pounds.