India to Lead Global Cotton Production in 2015/16
The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates for 2015/16 project global
cotton production at 108.7 million bales, nearly 9 percent below the previous season and the lowest since 2009/10. The three largest cotton-producing countries remain India, China, and the United States; in 2015/16, these countries are expected to account for 63 percent of world production, slightly below last season’s share. However, the latest projection indicates that India will surpass China as the top producer this season (fig. 1).
India’s ascension to the world’s leading-producer status largely results from having the most cotton area. Harvested area in India is expected to account for nearly 38 percent of the global total in 2015/16, and is more than three times that of either China or the United States. While yields in India remain well below the world average, India is forecast to produce 29 million bales in 2015/16—27 percent of the global cotton crop. India surpassed the United States in cotton production in 2006/07, and is poised to overtake China this season as area declines in China for the fourth consecutive season.
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Source: USDA