Even as over 90% cotton crop has arrived in the markets and new crop season has already set in, the estimate for cotton arrival has been lowered fifth time for Punjab. On the other hand, the estimates have been revised upwards in the neighbouring states of Haryana and Rajasthan.
A loss of another over 30,000 bales of cotton is likely in Punjab as per the revised estimate of the arrival of fibre crop in state as against the earlier estimate in the beginning of March 2018. In the revised estimates, the crop arrival in grain markets of Punjab has been lowered at 9.67 lakh bales (1 bale = 170 kg) by cotton trading body Indian Cotton Association Limited (ICAL). The ICAL keeps tab on cotton arrival and price fluctuation in three states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan and records sales.
Initially, the estimate was put at 12 lakh bales at the start of the season in October-November 2017 and was lowered to 11 lakh in December and again to 10.37 lakh in January and 9.97 lakh bales at the end of February 2018.
In Haryana, the estimates has been revised to 25.47 lakh bales on March 31 up from 24.30 lakh bales expected on February 28 and likewise estimates in Rajasthan has been revised to 23.12 lakh bales up from estimate of 22.14 lakh bales at the start of March. The less arrival in Punjab, as per market watchers, points towards Punjab crop sold in Haryana and Rajasthan.

timesofindia