China, the world’s largest cotton producer, may see a decrease in cotton production this year as a result of cold weather that delayed sowing, damaged plants in some areas, and reduced acreage as some farmers moved to grain following government advice.
According to Guo Chao, general manager of Hebei Xingyu Textile Material Co., a significant cotton dealer and processor, the harvest may decrease by as much as 1 million tonnes from last year. If realised, that would be a decrease from production of around 6 million tonnes in 2022 of more than 15 per cent.
China is the largest producer of textiles in the world and one of the major consumers of cotton. Any supply shortage might increase purchases of foreign cotton, but this might be offset by a gloomy demand picture as exporters of textile products struggle with a weakening global economy.
In the largest cotton-producing area of Xinjiang, unseasonably cold weather destroyed the crop just as local administrations were urging farmers to switch to growing grains as part of a national initiative to improve food security.
According to Mysteel, a commodity consultant in China, cotton farmers were instructed to plant grain on as much as 10 per cent of their land in some locations, and the company expects a 10 per cent decrease in cotton acreage from the previous year.
