China, the world’s largest cotton user, may increase planted acreage by 5.8 percent this year amid higher prices, according to a statement on the China National Cotton Exchange’s website.

The country may plant a total 81.5 million mu (5.43 million hectare) of cotton in 2011, up 4.48 million mu from a year ago, according to a survey in April of 13 major cotton-producing provinces, the exchange said. The survey result was 0.4 percentage higher than last month’s.

Most farmers completed planting by the end of April, except for very few summer-cotton varieties, it said.