The latest estimate places world cotton consumption at 19.19 million tonnes, up from 19.03 million tonnes in 1998-99. ICAC forecasts slight increases in consumption in India, Europe, Pakistan and East Asian countries while a small drop is expected in China and USA.

Both these latter countries are likely to export more cotton this year, states the ICAC release, which places the world cotton exports this year at 5.88 million tonnes as against 5.29 million tonnes in 1998-99.

The sentiment in world cotton market may continue to remain bearish in 1999-2000, according to the ICAC. While theaverage Cotlook A Index was 58.90 US cents (USC) per pound in 1998-99, it averaged to 46.80 USC during the first ten days of November.

Adding value to cotton
Several papers on topics of contemporary interest were presented by eminent persons at the Fibre Session of the ITMF Annual Conference held in Venice, Italy during September, 1999. One of the papers entitled, "Adding Value to Cotton", was presented by Mr. Andrew Macdonald, Director, Alpargatas-Santista Textile S.A., Sao Paulo, Brazil, which contains quite a few points regarding the direction the industry is heading and the future scenario concerning cotton requirements. Some of these points are mentioned below.

Cleaning of cotton will become more gentle, but more effective, with the objective of removing the large pieces of trash, rather than breaking them up which, in the end, makes it harder to clean, and at the same time ensuring the preservation of the intrinsic value of the cotton to be spun.

This will require a revolution at theginning level to adopt a similar concept as regards cleaning procedures. It is not correct to assume that the modern cotton gins process cotton any better than the old gins. They only process cotton faster and not better.

The important intrinsic values of cotton are strength, length, length uniformity, micronaire, maturity, short fibre content and neps.

The industry has to understand these intrinsic values which are worsened by overcleaning. The industry already has, and more important, in the future will have, machines which do the cleaning job much better than a modern gin. Future spinners will require the production of "under cleaned" cotton, despite apparent signs to the contrary at present.

Automatic and continuous opening lines will replace today's classic lay down. These will require a greatly improved bale uniformity in terms of size, content and wrapping.

The standard cards will be working faster i.e. 120/140 kg per hour in the case of open-end rotors and 80/100 kg per hour in the case ofconventional spinning. This will require mature cotton with less neps and short fibres, as well as even running micronaire range.

There will be fully integrated, on-line process control which will require "even running" cotton within a bale so as to ensure that a high production level is maintained.

Next generation looms need to work with a yarn diameter variation of less than 15 per cent. This will require greatly improved strength, length uniformity and elongation as well as a consistent micronaire of cotton.

There will be a real growth of compact spinning capable of producing smoother and less hairy yarns. There will also be increase in speeds of OE Rotors. Both these innovations will demand a reduction in dust content and cleaner cottons.

Global yarn production up
According to the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), global yarn production witnessed a 2.4 per cent increase during the second quarter of 1999 as compared to the first. Both Asia and Europe appear to haverecorded a four per cent rise in output.

The maximum increase of 16.2 per cent was in Taiwan followed by 16.1 per cent in Turkey. Output in USA is said to have remained unchanged. As compared to the corresponding quarter of 1998 global yarn production during the second quarter of 1999 was, however, lower by three per cent, due to fall in output in Europe by 7.8 per cent and in USA by 7.3 per cent although production in Asia was up by 4.8 per cent.

World yarn inventories reportedly came down by 4.9 per cent during the second quarter of 19999 as compared to the first, mainly due to reductions in Asia (-5.6 per cent) and Europe (-3.8 per cent). ITMF report adds that compared to the corresponding quarter of 1998 world yarn inventories were lower by 3.1 per cent during the second quarter of 1999 due to lower stocks in Asia (-5.3 per cent). Stocks in Europe reportedly remained unchanged.

Cotton Textile Exports Post moderate growth in September
Compared to September 1998, exports of cotton textilesfrom the country were higher by about 8.3 per cent during September this year. The value of exports is placed at Rs 1291.0 crore (296.51 million USD) during September 1999 as against Rs.1191.6 crore (280.39 million USD) in September last.

(Excerpted from Cotton Statistics and News, East India Cotton Association)