World mill consumption of cotton is forecast at a record 25.7 million tons in 2006/07, up 3 percent from the previous season. China (Mainland)’s textile industry will continue to drive world cotton use in 2006/07, with Chinese cotton use projected at a record 10.5 million tons, up 600,000 tons from 2005/06.

World cotton production is expected to remain stable at 24.7 million tons in 2006/07. Production is forecast up in China (Mainland), India and Pakistan, but significantly down in the United States.

With world cotton consumption expected to exceed production by 1.1 million tons, world cotton stocks are expected to decline to 9.8 million tons by the end of 2006/07.

Rising imports by China (Mainland) are expected to boost world cotton trade to a record 9.7 million tons in 2006/07.

The International Cotton Advisory Committee is an association of 41 governments of cotton producing and consuming countries.

The Secretariat of the Committee publishes information related to world cotton production, supply, demand and prices, and provides technical information on cotton production technology.

Detailed statistics are found bimonthly in COTTON: Review of the World Situation, $170 per year. A monthly outlook by fax is also available for $315 per year or on the Internet for $265 per year.

Access to the weekly estimates of world cotton supply and use by the Secretariat is also available on the Internet for $420 per year.