Textile Export Prospects Hazy

Textile Export Prospects Hazy D P Sharma THE way the cotton scenario has unfolded itself has brought into much sharper focus than ever before the imperative need to improve the crop information system. Even the most experienced persons in the trade and industry, who keep a close watch on the progress of the crop and its movement, had not envisaged the kind of change that has come about in the cotton scene over the past few weeks. The altogether tentative estimate, based on the area sown under highly favourable weather conditions, had held out hope of a record crop touching the 140 lakh bales mark. The Cotton Advisory Board which met on August 29 to make a preliminary assess- ment of the 1991-92 crop prospects placed the crop at 130 lakh bales. This figure has since been gradually revised down. The ICMF now expects a crop of 118 lakh bales while the CCl is currently reckoning the crop at 116.5 lakh bales. There are not a few who think that the crop might not exceed 112 lakh bales.