950824

India's "95-96

cotton crop

higher

WASHINGTON: India's 1995-96 cotton crop is projected at 13.4 million 170-kg bales, up from 13.1 million bales forecast for 1994-95, a U.S. agricultural attache reported.

Monsoon rains have improved after a near month delay in some major cotton growing areas, the attache wrote in a field report and filed from New Delhi on August 9.

Rainfall distribution during the remainder of August and September will be critical in determining the size of the 1995 crop.

There are no reports of insect damage of helithis, white fly or jasid, the attache said.

Cotton imports through June 15 reached 328,863 bales. Imports throughout the remainder of the marketing year are expected to reach 150,000 bales, somewhat lower than initial estimates.-Reuter