Rise Expected in Cotton Boll Production

Cotton boll production is estimated to increase by more than 12% to reach 180,000 tons in the current Iranian year (March 2017-18), up from last year’s 160,000 tons, the executive of the Cotton Project carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture said. “We expect to produce around 60,000 tons of cotton fibers from this amount,” Ebrahim Hezarjaribi was also quoted by Mehr News Agency as saying.

According to Managing Director of Iran Cotton Fund Mohammad Hossein Kaviani, last year’s domestic cotton production stood at approximately 40,000 tons.

“Our textile industries’ demand stands at between 90,000 and 100,000 tons per year, and as such, domestic production is not sufficient to meet the need. We have to import at least 50,000 tons annually,” he said.

More than 4,000 tons of uncarded and uncombed cotton worth 270 billion rials (over $7.2 million) were imported during the first month of the current Iranian year (March 21-April 20), according to latest figures released by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.

This amount of cotton was imported from the UAE, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, Mizan Online News Agency reported.

“Around 130 hectares of farms will, for the first time, go under the cultivation of cotton seedlings in Iran in the current Iranian year. Some 100 hectares of these farms are located in the northern Golestan Province,” Deputy Agriculture Minister Abbas Keshavarz said.

“This method [in which seedlings are planted rather than seeds] helps save water consumption in cotton farms by 40% and reduces the need for seeds to one-sixth. Also, plants can be harvested earlier this way,” he added.