In rupee terms, the exports of cotton were valued at Rs 13.7 crore during the period October 2000-February 2001 which was more than double the export earnings of Rs 6.68 crore in the same period the previous season.

The good performance in exports of raw cotton was also visible in exports during February 2001, where India exported 8,205 bales of raw cotton worth Rs 6.76 crore as against 5,825 bales worth Rs 4.49 crore in the same month last year.

The quota of raw cotton released for export during the current cotton season October 2000-September 2001 is 9 lakh bales compared to 5 lakh bales the previous season.

In case of cotton waste, as against a quota of 1 lakh bales released for the current cotton season, exports during February 2001 was 352 bales valued at Rs 21.55 lakh higher by almost 18 per cent compared to 299 bales worth Rs 15.20 lakh in the same month last year.

It is important to note that exports during the month of February was the first export consignment of cotton waste during the current cotton season.In the case of cotton imports, India imported 40,300 bales of cotton worth Rs 43.9 crore since the start of the cotton season in October, 2000 upto February 2001.

The quantity of cotton imported during the period is far more compared to the 7.58 lakh bales of quantity registered against 523 imports contracts, according to the data complied by the Textile Commissioner.

The Cotton Advisory Board has estimated import of cotton during the current cotton season (October 2000-September 2001) at 16 lakh bales (each bale is 170 kg) compared to 22 lakh bales during the previous cotton season. While private trade exported nearly 80 per cent or 14,435 bales of cotton upto February 2001, the national level agencies exported 1,670 bales while state federations and corporations reported no shipments during the five-month period.