2017-18年度印度棉花种植面积预计将增加至1130万公顷

The Indian cotton area is forecast to increase to 11.3 million hectares in 2017-18

The area under cotton globally is likely to expand by 5 per cent in 2017-18 season to 30.8 million hectares, as high cotton prices that prevailed in 2016-17 would encourage farmers to sow more cotton. However, world cotton mill use is expected to surpass world production, the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has said in its latest report.

In India, cotton area is forecast to increase by 7 per cent to 11.3 million hectares in 2017-18 as farmers are encouraged by better returns due to high cotton prices and improved yields in 2016-17. Assuming yield is similar to the five-year average, production could increase by 3 per cent to just under six million tons, predicts ICAC in its report.

In China, after contracting in the last five seasons, cotton area may expand by 3 per cent to 2.9 million hectares due to the stable cotton policy and high cotton prices. Production in China is expected to rise by 1 per cent to 4.8 million tons, the first increase in five seasons.

Similarly, farmers in the United States are forecast to expand harvested cotton area by 12 per cent to 4.3 million hectares, and assuming a yield of 938 kg-ha, production could grow by 8 per cent to 4 million tons.

译文如下：

2017-18年度印度棉花种植面积预计将增加至1130万公顷

国际棉花咨询委员会在其最新报告中指出，2017-18年度全球棉花种植面积扩大5%至3080万公顷，棉花价格较2016-17年度有所上浮，将鼓励农民播种更多的棉花。然而，纺织厂用棉量预计将超过全球产量。

2017-18年度印度棉花面积预计将增加7%至1130万公顷，由于棉花价格高企，棉农大受鼓舞，收益率较2016-17年度有所增加。国际棉花咨询委员会在其报告中预测，假设产量达到5年平均水平，其棉花产量或将增加3%至600万吨上下。

在中国，由于棉花政策稳定，棉花价格居高不下，继过去五年连续上涨后，棉花种植面积或将进一步扩大3%至290万公顷。预计中国的棉花产量将增长1%至480万吨，这是5个季度以来的首次增长。

同样地，美国棉花种植面积预计将增加12%至430万公顷，假设收益率为938公斤每公顷，其产量预计将上涨8%至400万吨。

(编译：杨朝霞)