Paru dans Business Standard   

Cotton acreage up on favourable weather, exports

Favourable weather and the timely removal of a ban on exports have encouraged Indian farmers to plant more cotton so far this kharif season, trade officials said on Friday.

According to estimates on June 11, the country’s cotton acreage is up by about 6 per cent as compared to the corresponding period last year.

According to analysts, traders and officials estimate acreage may hover around 11 million hectares in 2010, up from 10.17 million hectares in 2009.

“The rise in acreage is driven by Gujarat. The pre-monsoon showers have helped in initial sowing. Also we have removed the export ban, now farmers are more confident,” said an official with the textile ministry.

Farmers in Gujarat, the country’s top cotton producer, have planted the fibre in 35 per cent more area so far than in the previous year, aided by pre-monsoon showers triggered by cyclone ‘Phet’, which hit the state earlier this month.

“Pre-monsoon showers helped farmers by increasing the soil moisture required before sowing,” said B R Shah, director of agriculture at Gujarat farm department.

Farmers in irrigated areas also got benefited by pre-monsoon showers in the form of savings on irrigation, Shah said.

Rains have benefited cotton tracts in Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana also, a textile ministry official said.

“The ongoing rain will surely boost the sowing of cotton,” said Haryana Farm Department Joint Director (cotton) Ravi Punia.

Gursharn Singh, from Abohar in Punjab, who has around 15 acres under cotton crop, said rains have saved his early sown cotton crop from scorching summers.

Farmers are enthused with cotton after prices stood 30-60 per cent higher during the 2009-10 marketing year driven by soaring exports. Cotton marketing year is between October and September.

India shipped 7.36 million bales (of 170 kg each) and had registered 8.53 million bales before halting further export registration on April 19, government data showed.

India on May 21 allowed export of cotton under license just as new plantings began and a month after it halted shipment registration to rein in domestic prices, an official with the textile ministry told Reuters.

“After removal of ban on exports farmers hope of getting better prices was renewed and this will boost acreage,” said Rakesh Rathi, president, North India Cotton Association.

Prices have risen about 10 per cent since exports were allowed.

India is the world’s second-biggest producer, consumer and exporter of cotton and about 60 per cent of the current season shipments went to China, the biggest consumer.

Paru dans The International News 

Cotton trading gains momentum
 
KARACHI: Cotton trading gained some momentum on Saturday after a slight fall in prices of the commodity in the international market, dealers said.

In all 1,800 bales of lint were traded during the day in the range of Rs6,400 to Rs6,700 in the mills-to-mills deals.

However spot rates of the Karachi Cotton Association remained unchanged at Rs6,400 per maund and Rs6,859 per 40kg for average quality lint.

“Price of new crop for the season 2011/12 could be opened at Rs6,000 per maund as the market players still face an acute shortage of lint,” said Shakeel Ahmed, a cotton dealer.

“The unsold stockpiles of cotton reached around 15,000 bales and the ginners are reluctant to sell lint on the expectation of higher prices.”

Moreover, the New York cotton market fell by 0.97 and 0.11 cents to 81.54 and 78.53 cents per pound for July and October contracts.

Paru dans Bourse Reflex

Coton hebdo: fort rebond des prix du coton, dopé par les exportations

Les prix du coton ont fortement progressé au cours de la semaine à New York, dopés par les chiffres de ventes à l'exportation et par les prévisions haussières du département américain de l'agriculture (USDA) sur l'état des stocks.

Paru dans Zone bourse

Coton : L'Inde exclut une interdiction des exportations de coton

 (India rules out complete ban on cotton export) Pour lutter contre la hausse des prix locaux du coton qui désavantagent les industriels indiens, le pays préfère poursuivre des mesures comme l'augmentation des taxes à l'exportation.

Paru dans All Africa 

Zimbabwe: Cotton Prices - Govt Ropes in Chinese Firms

Harare — Government has roped in some Chinese companies to buy cotton this season as it seeks to increase competition in an industry that has been affected by poor prices.

This follows an impasse between cotton growers and traditional buyers over producer prices.

Cotton farmers were complaining over the US30 cents per kilogramme that was being offered by buyers.

They argued the price is not viable.

This prompted the Government to intervene and announce the price of US42 cents per kilogramme, which some farmers still said was low considering the high production costs.

In an interview yesterday, Agriculture Minister Joseph Made said an agreement had been concluded for Chinese companies to participate in the purchasing of cotton.

"China already has some companies supporting tobacco and we are also looking at assistance that should go towards cotton farmers. The Chinese are major players in the cotton sector as they consume eight million kilogrammes per year," he said.

Minister Made said some contractors this year did not support cotton growing as they supplied inputs for low hectarage.

"The contracted crop should be sold to the contractor but the farmer is free to sell the remainder to willing buyers," he said.

Chinese companies are expected to support farmers in terms of inputs.

"Zimbabwe's challenge has been delivery of crop inputs, cotton demands in terms of seed and fertilizers and chemicals for the production of high quality crop.

"We hope the Chinese will be able to support farmers and venture on agro-processing so that we will be able to benefit from raw cotton," he said.

On the rejection of the US42 cents per kilogramme price by farmers, Minister Made said they were justified because they were looking at viability.

"Government is looking into the matter with the seriousness it deserves. Cotton is their only crop hence they need to realise a reasonable profit to allow them to get back on the land next season," he said.

Minister Made said although it was important to consider international prices, it was also equally important that farmers aired their views on the producer prices.

He said farmers should, however, speak with one voice through their unions or representatives.

"We should not leave the farmer to die because we can easily import everything. We should defend farmers, we should defend land reform," Minister Made said.

He said his ministry would continue to lobby the Ministry of Finance for increased assistance to cotton farmers.

Producer price disputes have riddled the cotton industry since the beginning of the marketing season.

Merchants were offering US 31 cents per kilogramme, prices cotton growers rejected. This resulted in growers withholding their crop prompting Government intervention and set the price at US42 cents.

Farmers have however, rejected the price arguing that the crop should fetch more to cushion them against high production costs.

Minister Made yesterday morning met the Ministry of Industry and Commerce officials to discuss the way forward on the cotton issue but the outcome of the meeting could not be established.