India’s Cotton Advisory Board (CAB) met last week in Mumbai and released a revised cotton production estimate for the 2010/11 season. Production is estimated to be 32.9 million bales (170 kg), which is 400,000 bales higher than the board’s August estimate of 32.5 million bales. The average yield in India is expected to be 505.92 kg/hectare; world average in 2009/10 was 735 kg/hectare.

The Central Zone, which is the largest-cotton producing region and includes the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, is expected to produce 21.3 million bales. The Southern Zone, which comprises of the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, is expected to produce 7.2 million bales.

The total acreage in India will be 11.05 million hectares. The Central Zone is estimated at 7.25 million hectares and the Southern Zone is estimated at 2.39 million hectares. Gujarat is expected to have the highest yield per hectare at 665 kg/hectare.

Only provisional estimates are available for the 2010/11 season. The total supply during the 2010/11 season is expected to be 37.45 million bales, with an opening stock of 4.05 million bales. The total demand during the 2010/11 season will be 33 million bales, which would leave a closing stock of 4.45 million bales. Organized textile mill consumption is expected to be 23.05 million bales.

The Cotton Association of India has estimated the production to be 34.75 million bales, which is higher than the CAB’s latest estimate. The supply, according to CAI, will be 40.9 million bales, while demand will total 26.6 million bales, leaving a surplus of 14.3 million bales.