The International Cotton Advisory Committee, Washington, D.C., announced recently it expects global cotton consumption to increase in the coming year. Recovery continues in cotton production for 2017-2018, according to the ICAC, which projects an 11 percent growth to about 25.4 million tons due to increased area put into production. Production in just the United States for the current season is expected to increase 25 percent to 4.7 million tons. India, according to the report, will remain the world’s largest cotton producer, with 2017-2018 production expected to reach 6.2 million tons. China will come in second, with 5.2 million tons of production. Pakistan is predicted to increase 11.5 percent, to 1.9 million tons, while Turkey is predicted to increase its production 18 percent to 829,000 tons. Other major cotton countries are expected to have positive growth attributed to increased production area and harvested yields. Meanwhile, international cotton prices have moved upward over the last few months that the season has been underway, according to the ICAC. “From the season low of 77 cents per pound at the start of season, prices are at a season high at the end of this calendar year up to 88 cents per pound,” the report stated. “The current season average of 80 cents per pound is lower than the 2016/17 average of 83 cents per pound.”

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