The Cotton Association of India (CAI) has estimated the total cotton supply during October 2020-July 2021 at 489.50 lakh bales, consisting of the opening stock of 125 lakh bales at the beginning of the season, cotton crop for 2020-21 at 354.50 lakh bales and imports estimated by at 10 lakh bales. The imports are lower by 5.50 lakh bales from the previous year's import of 15.50 lakh bales.

Further, the CAI has estimated cotton consumption during the season at 275 lakh bales, while the export shipment of cotton up to July 31, 2021, is estimated at 70 lakh bales.

The stock at the end of July is estimated by the CAI at 137.61 lakh bales, including 80 lakh bales with textile mills and the remaining 57.61 lakh bales with the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), Maharashtra Federation, and others (MNCs, traders, ginners, etc).

CAI estimated the total cotton supply till the end of the cotton season (up to September 30) at 489.50 lakh bales, consisting of the opening stock of 125 lakh bales at the beginning of the season, cotton crop for 2020-21 at 354.50 lakh bales and imports estimated by at 10 lakh bales. The imports are lower by 5.50 lakh bales from the previous year's import of 15.50 lakh bales.

Domestic consumption for the crop year 2020-21 is estimated higher by 5 lakh bales to 330 lakh bales considering the brisk demand for cotton yarn despite disruptions caused by lockdown to arrest spread of the second wave of COVID-19, CAI noted.

CAI has also increased the exports estimate for the season from its previous estimate of 72 lakh bales to 77 lakh bales.