India’s cotton exports are expected to rise by 21.27 per cent during the 2015-16 season, mostly due to a rise in demand from Pakistan. Demand in Pakistan has grown due to crop damage in the Punjab region. Almost 33 per cent of the cotton crop in Pakistan has been damaged from whitefly. In the first three months till December 31, Pakistan already imported 16.60 lakh bales from India, while it had imported overall 3.79 lakh bales in the entire year of 2014-15.

This year, Pakistan will overtake Bangladesh as the top importer of Indian cotton. Howeverm cotton output in India is estimated at 352 lakh bales in 2015-16, compared to 380 lakh bales in the previous season, mainly on account of crop damage in Punjab due to whitefly, white ball worm in Gujarat and drought in Karnataka.

India’s textile industry is predominantly cotton based. India is one of the largest producers as well as exporters of cotton yarn. India was the third largest supplier of textiles and clothing to the US in 2013, contributing about 6.01 per cent of its total imports. Cotton cultivation in India in 2014-15 was 12.25 million hectares.

Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the major cotton producers in India.