Cotton Bales :

India is the second largest cotton producing country in the world after China. The production estimate for 2008-09 is about 322 lakh bales (1 Bale= 170 kg).

Area, Production and productivity of cotton in India during last six decades:

Year	Area (Lakh Hac)	Production (Lakh bales) (1 bale=170 kg)	Yield (kg/hac)
2000-01	85.76	140.00	278
2001-02	87.30	158.00	308
2002-03	76.67	136.00	302
2003-04	76.30	179.00	399
2004-05	87.86	243.00	470
2005-06	86.77	244.00	478
2006-07	91.44	280.00	521
2007-08	95.55	315.00	560
2008-09	92.60	322.00	591

Source: Cotton Advisory Board

Cotton is grown in India mainly as a kharif crop and is sown during March - September and harvest during September - Jan. The peak Marketing season for the Cotton is from November to March.

Cotton Balance sheet
The Cotton Balance Sheet for 2008-09 vis-a-vis 2007-08 as drawn by Cotton Advisory Board vide its meeting dt.16-10-2008 as under:
Quantity in lakh bales of 170 kgs each
Item	2008-09	2007-08
SUPPLY
Opening stock	43.00	47.50
Crop size	322.00	315.00
Imports	5.00	6.50
TOTAL AVAILABILITY	370.00	369.00
DEMAND
Mill Consumption	203.00	203.00
Small-Mill consumption	23.00	23.00
Non-Mill Consumption	15.00	15.00
TOTAL CONSUMPTION	241.00	241.00
Exports	75.00	85.00
TOTAL DISAPPEARANCE	316.00	326.00
CARRY FORWARD	54.00	43.00

Gujarat is the largest producing state in India followed by Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

The others states which produces cotton are Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamilnadu.

Gujarat produces about one third of the cotton produced in India. The major growing areas of cotton in Gujarat are Saurashtra region, Ahmedabad, Banaskantha, Baroda, Surat, Panchamahal, and Patan.

Cotton Production and Balance sheet
The Cotton Advisory Board, in its meeting held on 16th October 2008 has placed cotton production during 2008-09 cotton season at 322 lakh bales of 170 kgs each, as per State-wise details given below:
Area in lakh hectare/Production in lakh bales/Yield kgs per hectare
	2008-09*			2007-08
State	Area	Production	Yield	Area	Production	Yield
Punjab	5.60	20.00	607	6.41	22.00	583
Haryana	4.18	15.00	610	4.83	16.00	563
Rajasthan	2.17	8.00	627	3.68	9.00	416
North Total	11.95	43.00	612	14.92	47.00	536
Gujarat	24.17	110.00	774	25.16	112.00	757
Maharashtra	31.33	62.00	336	31.91	62.00	330
Madhya Pradesh	6.43	20.00	529	6.62	21.00	539
Andhra Pradesh	13.19	58.00	748	10.96	46.00	714
Karnataka	3.35	10.00	507	3.88	8.00	351
Tamil Nadu	1.20	5.00	708	1.30	5.00	654
Others	0.98	2.00	347	0.80	2.00	425
Total		310.00			303.00
Loose Lint		12.00			12.00
Grand Total	92.60	322.00	591	95.55	315.00	560

*as per CAB dated 16th October 2008

Major Trading Centers

Gujara t- Kadi, Rajkot, Abohar, Surendranagar, Bhavnagar, Ahmedabad, Surat, Baroda.

Andhra Pradesh - Adilabad, karimnagar, Khammam, Guntur, Karnool

Maharashtra - Mumbai, Dhule, Ahmedanagar, Akola, Sangli,

Rajasthan - Sriganganagar, Kota

Punjab - Bhantinda, Hisar

Tamilnadu - Coimbatore

Karnataka - Gulberga

Haryana - Sirsa

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Cotton Bales :