Browse Data and Analysis

Post estimates marketing year (MY) 2019/20 cotton production at 29 million 480 lb. bales (37.1 million 170-kilogram bales/6.3 MMT) with a planting area of 12.5 million hectares.

The pace of plantings for all major kharif crops is slower than last year as delayed monsoon rains and low reservoir storage levels have resulted in lower planted area.

Cotton crop prospects continue to erode and Pakistan’s 2015/16 cotton production estimate is estimated 500,000 bales lower at 7.5 million 480 lb bales, the lowest production since 1999.

MY2015/16 cotton imports are expected to decline 1 to 2 percent due to the weak economic recovery and competition from imported yarn.

As China continues to hold over half the world’s cotton in reserved stocks, China’s MY15/16 cotton imports are forecast to plummet to 1.25 million tons from the 1.8 million tons in the previous year.

China is the second largest market for planting seeds after the United States. It is self-sufficient in planting seeds for grains, but imports some grass, vegetable, and fruit seeds.

According to the Bank of Guatemala (BANGUAT), the food processing industry in Guatemala for year 2015, will grow 3.5 percent and will contribute 0.67 percent to the total GDP.