2001/02 World Cotton Area and Production Rise From Last Year,
Depressing World Cotton Prices

World cotton production for 2001/02 is forecast at 94.6 million 480-pound bales, up 6.6 million from last year's output. Prospects for a bumper global crop that will exceed projected world consumption have pushed prices down to the second lowest world's cotton A-index price in the past three years, averaging 58.1 cents per pound through June of 2000/01 season. This price is 5 cents above the similar period last year, but down from the recent average peak of 72.1 cents in 1997/98. World area is forecast at 34.1 million hectares, up 2.3 million from last season, while the yield at 603 kilograms per hectare is nearly unchanged from 2000/01.

The world's largest cotton producers, United States and China, are projected to account for 43 percent of global production, equal to last year. The seven major producers percent share of production rose 1 percent from last year to 79 percent for 2001/02. The table below highlights the top seven cotton producing nations which include the United States, China, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, and Brazil. These countries are estimated to produce 74.4 million bales of cotton in 2001/02, and account for 90 percent of the 6.6 million bales increase this season.

		MAJOR COTTON PRODUCERS

	480-LB BALES	PERCENT OF	YIELD	AREA	PERCENT OF	LINT MT
	(Mbales)	OUTPUT	(Kg/ha.)	(1000 ha.)	AREA	(1000)

2001/02
WORLD	94,631	100	603	34,147	100	20,604
FOREIGN	75,431	80	580	28,319	83	16,423
TOP SEVEN	74,400	79	643	25,178	74	16,199

China	22,000	23	1,041	4,600	13	4,790
United States	19,200	20	717	5,828	17	4,180
India	12,300	13	310	8,650	25	2,678
Pakistan	8,300	9	602	3,000	9	1,807
Uzbekistan	4,600	5	700	1,430	4	1,002
Turkey	3,800	4	1,133	730	2	827
Brazil	4,200	4	973	940	3	914
Rest of World	20,231	21	491	8,969	26	4,405

		Table: Continued
		MAJOR COTTON PRODUCERS

	480-LB BALES CHANGE FROM 2000/01		SHARE OF CHANGE	AREA HARVESTED CHANGE FROM 2000/01		SHARE OF CHANGE
	1000 bales	(%)	(%)	1000 ha.	(%)	(%)


WORLD	6,629	8	100	2,261	7	100
FOREIGN	4,617	7	70	1,715	6	76
TOP SEVEN	5,962	9	90	1,861	8	82

China	1,700	8	26	600	15	27
United States	2,012	12	30	546	10	24
India	1,400	13	21	528	7	23
Pakistan	100	1	2	72	2	3
Uzbekistan	200	5	3	15	1	1
Turkey	300	9	5	60	9	3
Brazil	250	6	4	40	4	2
Rest of World	667	3	10	400	5	18

For more information, contact Ron Roberson with the Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division at (202) 720-0879.


Updated: December 03, 2003	\| Contact PECAD \| FAS Home \| USDA \|