The 2010 nation-wide cotton growing area is generally expected to be stable in the new cotton season, according to a survey conducted by China Cotton Association.
Cotton planting was delayed due to lower temperature prevailing during peak cotton sowing season along with which in some areas, weather conditions too have not permitted timely sowing of cotton seeds.
All these factors have led to a poor start to the cotton cultivation season. National cotton planting area is expected to be 77.10 million Mu (one hectare = 15 Chinese Mu), nearly the same as last year.
April is the month, when cotton sowing is undertaken by farmers, by when, 86 percent of cotton planting was completed in the new season. Yellow River Basin completed 87.3 percent planting by the end of April and Yangtze River regions reported 85.6 percent planting.
The Northwest region reported late planting of cotton, but picked up pace towards the first and second week of May. In April, parts of Xinjiang suffered strong winds, dust storms and other weather disasters, which affected timely sowing of cotton.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India