Bt Cotton acreage has increased in year 2007-08 and resulted in hike of cotton production to 31 million bales (1 bale = 170 kg), reports Business Standard.

The acreage under Bt cotton increased to 6.33 million hectares in the current cotton year from 3.69 million hectares last year, up 71.25%. The total acreage stood at 9.53 million hectares, up 4.23% from the last year`s 9.14 million hectares.

The northern zone (comprising Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan), registered the fastest rise in Bt cotton acreage by more than doubling the area from 0.33 million hectares to 0.87 million hectares, up 169%.

The central zone (Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh) and the southern zone (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) increased Bt cotton acreage by 68% and 41% respectively.

However, the northern zone saw the highest decline of 46.6% in the area under non-Bt cotton, followed by central and southern zones where acreage dropped by 42.9% and 27.6%, respectively.

It is estimated by Cotton advisory board (CAB) that average cotton yield has increased by 6.22% at 553.05 kg per hectare as against 520.67 kg per hectare in last year. The Ministry of Textiles projected that the cotton production will touch level of 32 million bales in the current year. This would mean a jump of 14.3% the last year`s output of 28 million bales.

At a time when global cotton production is showing a declining trend, increased domestic production would enable the country to export cotton after meeting local requirements.  The country is expected to export 6.5 million bales, of which 5 million bales have already been contracted so far.

The country`s own consumption, including that of mills, non-mills and small scale units will be around 24.5 million bales. The closing stock at the close of the current cotton year is estimated at 5.4 million bales against last year`s 4.75 million bales.