According to the latest forecast from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resources and Economics (ABARES), due to the El Ni ñ o phenomenon causing drought in cotton producing areas in Australia, the cotton planting area in Australia is expected to decrease by 28% to 413000 hectares in 2023/24. However, due to the significant decrease in dryland area, the proportion of high-yield irrigated fields has increased, and the irrigated fields have sufficient water storage capacity. Therefore, the average cotton yield is expected to increase to 2200 kilograms per hectare, with an estimated yield of 925000 tons, a decrease of 26.1% from the previous year, but still 20% higher than the average of the same period in the past decade.
Specifically, New South Wales covers an area of 272500 hectares with a production of 619300 tons, a decrease of 19.9% and 15.7% year-on-year, respectively. Queensland covers an area of 123000 hectares with a production of 288400 tons, a decrease of 44% year-on-year.
According to industry research institutions in Australia, the export volume of Australian cotton in 2023/24 is expected to be 980000 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 18.2%. The institution believes that due to increased rainfall in Australia’s cotton producing areas in late November, there will still be further rainfall in December, so the cotton production forecast for Australia is expected to increase in the later period.
Post time: Dec-12-2023