Cotton - Current Affairs Questions and Answers

ANSWER: 12 percent

Explanation:
Cotton supplies in Indian spot markets fell 12 percent from a year ago to 28 million bales between October and March as adverse weather curtailed production, stated the Cotton Association of India on April 18.

• The world's biggest cotton producer is likely to harvest 34.1 million bales of cotton in the 2015/16 season, that started on October 1, down from last year's output of 38.3 million bales, added the trade body.
• Trade bodies are consistently reducing cotton production estimates for the current season as pest attacks and the first back-to-back droughts in nearly three decades hampered per-hectare yields.

ANSWER: India

Explanation:
India is the largest cotton producer in the world in the present financial year, according to USDA reports (United States Department of Agriculture). Cotton output in all major producing countries in the year except India was earlier expected to be lower than previous season. According to Southern India Mills Association, China will be vacating the position as the world’s largest cotton producer to India. Cotton production in China and the US has been estimated to have fallen by 13.3 and 17.7 percent as compared to the previous year. USDA reports India has estimated production of 370 lakh bales making it the largest cotton producing nation in the world.