Mexico plans to increase the planted area of cotton by 71 percent to 300,000 hectares (741,000 acres) by 2016, the Agriculture Ministry said.

The country aims to boost the planted area from a forecasted 175,000 hectares this year, the ministry said in a statement yesterday. Cotton output will rise to 2.4 million bales in five years, up from 620,000 bales now, the ministry said, citing comments from Jorge Antonio Medina, an industry advisory member.