India 2017-18 cotton crop seen up 10% at 37 mln bales.

India’s cotton output in 2017-18 (Oct-Sep) is seen rising nearly 10% to 37 mln bales (1 bale = 170 kg) due to a rise in acreage and favourable weather. For the year starting October, market participants had estimated cotton output in the range of 36-40 mln bales. Cotton output for 2016-17 has been estimated at 33.7 mln bales. Cotton acreage in the ongoing kharif season has increased sharply, primarily because farmers shifted to the crop due to lucrative returns in 2016-17. Farmers across the country had sown cotton across 11.99 mln ha as of 01 Sep, up almost 18% from 10.17 mln ha a year ago.