Cotton benefitted from an excellent monsoon season and a reduced pest population. The harvest should be completed by the end of October. No change this month. Production is forecast at a record, up 0.7 million tons from last year. This Province produces 80 to 85 percent of the crop.
Production is forecast down due to lower area.
Production is forecast up due to increased yield as major cotton producing states in the Northern and Central zones had an excellent monsoon season with low insect and disease infestation. Production is forecast up due to increased area with a slight rise in yield. Available irrigation supplies were used to support the cotton crop. The reduction is based upon projections of smaller harvests in Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Brazil, Malaysia, and Cameroon. The main crop harvest, which begins in late-October, is forecast at 350,000 tons.